Logistical issues faced by Russian forces in southern Ukraine have become more acute following damage to a key bridge to Crimea on Oct. 8, a British intelligence update said on Monday.

"With the Russian presence in Kherson strained, and the supply routes through Crimea degraded, the ground line of communication through Zaporizhzhia Oblast is becoming more important to the sustainability of Russia’s occupation," the UK Ministry of Defence tweeted in a regular bulletin.

Russian forces in southern Ukraine are likely increasing logistical supply flow via Mariupol in an attempt to compensate for the reduced capacity of the bridge, the update said. (Reporting by Jyoti Narayan in Bengaluru; Editing by Tom Hogue)