The war in Ukraine is largely an artillery war. The lack of ammunition is one of the factors that caused the Ukrainian soldiers to find themselves under critical pressure.
The Russians have many times more of it for a long time and send masses of soldiers to the battles, which they do not hesitate to sacrifice. In addition, they support the offensive with airstrikes and heavy shelling.
Now the priority is to defend the east
Max has been experiencing this firsthand since the fall, when he was sent to Donbas. He is 30 years old and is one of those on which the Ukrainian artillery is built. In the famous 47th Mechanized Brigade, he is in charge of the Model 82 mortar, which he takes care of in positions near Avdijivka.
The Ukrainians lost this completely destroyed city in the Donetsk region this month after fierce fighting. The new commander of the Ukrainian armed forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, ordered a withdrawal at the last minute, and the Ukrainian troops thus avoided huge losses.
“It could have happened two weeks earlier. But that’s just my opinion, in the army I’m here to obey orders,” says Max. When the offensive was at its height, he experienced massive bombing and airstrikes.
We met near his positions in the second line of defense towards Avdijivka to tell us what his life at the front looks like. In this part of Donbas, trucks carry broken roads
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