Heavy fighting continues in the Bakhmut direction – a report from Ukrainian positions

The situation in the Bakhmut direction in the Donetsk region remains difficult, but stable. In difficult combat conditions, Ukrainian defenders not only effectively fight the enemy, but equip positions. They are also mastering new types of weapons and equipment supplied by foreign allies and using modern combat tactics, reports Anastasia Volkova, correspondent of the FREEDOM TV channel.

The armor of the Ukrainian defenders is moving into position. Such a movement of equipment in the Bakhmut direction is not uncommon. They are ready to meet the thousands of Russian army and fight back. The enemy is superior in quantity, but clearly of poor quality, the Ukrainian defenders state. The latest shelling showed that the Russian occupiers are aiming anywhere, just to shoot off the ammunition.

“Here was the arrival of 120 mortars, right next to my unit and the military personnel who were performing defense tasks in their positions,” said Serhiy, a serviceman of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (GPSU).

As a result of the shelling, no one was hurt, but the soldiers decided to further strengthen their positions in case the enemy became more accurate.

“We dug a trench directly for the servicemen, so that in the event of shelling with mortars or heavy artillery of the enemy, they could take cover, but continue to monitor and fire if the enemy troops advanced. Gabions were also placed behind us, they are also placed in a circle of the place where the fighter is directly located. From this place, he can directly monitor constantly both the airspace and the area that is assigned to him here for protection and protection, ”Sergey said.

Fighting in this place in the Bakhmut direction often lasts for several hours. The enemy covers the Ukrainian positions with heavy artillery fire.

“The saw worked. The guys heard the shelling, ran into shelters, hid in the dugouts. One runs, says: “We have started shelling.” I say: “Don’t be kidding, then our art is hammering, everything is fine.” No, he says, they are shooting at us. I hear the arrival, a shell is flying and I understand that it really has already begun to shoot at us. Well, we grab the saw, the second partner and run with him into the dugout. They came to the dugout, sat out the shelling, left, then took up positions and served further, ”says Denis, a serviceman of the State Border Guard Service.

34-year-old Denis has been serving in the border troops for the third year. Behind the fighter’s shoulders were heavy battles near Maryinka and Kamyshevakha. I am originally from Konstantinovka. Today, in the Bakhmut direction, he is trying to contain the enemy so that he does not occupy his native city.

“There is my home, my relatives, friends, my comrades, everything is there. I am ready to go to the end for them. Because this is my land, my home, this is my homeland. I was born and raised here and I don’t want any occupiers or even change the government there. Everything suited us,” the warrior shared.

Along the front line, the film crew drove with Denis in a cougar, a Ukrainian-made armored car. Such transport is indispensable for border guards when performing combat missions.

“This is an armored vehicle, it helps mainly from fragments, the arrival of the 82nd mine. To carry out combat missions, we leave for positions, are on duty and also repel enemy attacks. Degtyarev-Shpagin machine guns are installed here, we have a large-caliber machine gun. To defeat manpower, ”explained the serviceman of the State Border Guard Service.

Spring turned the positions into a solid clay mess. You have to scoop water out of the trenches several times a day. And instead of the usual berets, the Ukrainian defenders put on rubber boots, but this does not prevent them from serving.

A serviceman of the State Border Guard Service, Eduard, said that recently more foreign weapons have been brought here:

“Cartridges for a machine gun, a Fagot launcher, we have two rockets here. NLAW [Swedish design], AT-4. We only have a Fagot and our Soviet-made PKM machine gun. And everything else is what other states give us.”

On the front line, the military does not always have the opportunity to cook a full meal for themselves. Volunteers with dry rations come to the rescue. There is also Ukrainian borscht and pea soup. The kitchen also has a lot of foreign products.

And in such a difficult situation, the fighters were able to equip a heated shower in order to wash off the adhering dirt from themselves after combat missions. Under shelling and heavy rains, servicemen try to create conditions for comfortable service, and volunteers help them.