DNR, Aug 4 — RIA Novosti, Andrey Kotz.Allied troops continue to push the AFU near Donetsk. They are advancing towards Avdiivka, which has been well fortified for eight years. The soldiers are helped by artillery — howitzers and anti-aircraft guns. What happens in the positions is in the RIA Novosti report.
Gods of War
One of the main features of the fighting in Ukraine is the widespread use of artillery. The "God of War" is not silent on the entire contact line in the Donbas. Long-range guns destroy warehouses, headquarters, field fortifications, military equipment, manpower. Recently, the AFU has been remotely mining Donetsk with PFM-1 mines, scattering them over the city with the help of rockets with a cluster warhead.
The calculation is simple — to demoralize and intimidate the population, as well as to force the allied troops to hurry and make mistakes. However, the armies of Russia and the DPR act differently. As soon as the assault units meet resistance, they immediately withdraw, dig in, after which a massive blow is inflicted with barrel and rocket artillery. Aviation also supports it. And only after that they go forward again. This takes time, but minimizes losses.
Multiple rocket launchers play a special role. This formidable weapon, hitting the squares, in the hands of a skilled commander allows you to destroy an entire military unit in one volley. However, MLRS are very vulnerable to counter—battery fire - the place of the salvo can be seen with the naked eye for several kilometers. Therefore, Donetsk people take care of their "Grads" and "Hurricanes" as the apple of their eye, carefully disguise them, constantly change positions.
"Cheer up" the infantry
The most fierce artillery duels were at Yasinovataya. The satellite city of Donetsk seems to have died out: no cars, no people. This is the nearest relatively large settlement from Avdiivka. Therefore, Ukrainian gunners are "piling" here with particular bitterness.
The house fired from the MLRS "Grad" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in Yasinovataya
Image Source: © Photo : DNR Online
"Arrives" almost daily. The windows are broken, and many buildings have been without electricity and water for several weeks. Shops do not work, the asphalt is pitted with craters. People live exclusively on humanitarian aid.
To the north are the positions of the rocket artillery of the 1st Brigade of the DPR army. On the way, the driver presses the gas pedal into the floor: Avdiivka is behind a wide field, there is a risk of getting under fire. The city can already be distinguished from here — mainly by the black columns of smoke rising above the buildings. The APU equipped trenches right in the middle of residential neighborhoods, hiding in the basements of houses.
"We studied drone footage and intelligence data," says the accompanying officer of the DPR army. — You can't take Avdiivka in a hurry, the Ukrainian military literally rolled everything into concrete there. However, our gunners have already learned to lay shells very accurately. A direct hit into the dugout is quite a feasible task. And today we are going to "cheer up" their infantry. Intelligence reported a large concentration of enemy manpower about ten kilometers from the front line."
An unfamiliar "voice"
The SUV turns into the outskirts of a field overgrown with grass up to the waist. The car moves for several minutes, scraping the bottom over numerous bumps and stops at an unremarkable forest plantation. We go out, look around: and where is the artillery? There's not a soul around. No soldiers, no military equipment. This is what they are trying to convince the AFU intelligence.
Military personnel of the rocket artillery unit and the 1st brigade of the DPR army are preparing to fire at the positions of the AFU in the Avdiivka direction
Image source: © RIA Novosti / Andrey Kotz
After a couple of minutes, we are hailed. Three fighters come out of the "green" and quickly remove the disguise from the 122-mm MLRS BM-21 "Grad". A fourteen-ton machine behind a camouflage net and chopped branches all this time was hiding in some three meters from a group of journalists, completely invisible. From a drone or through binoculars, it is impossible to distinguish it among the trees. In the open military equipment in the Donbass has not been placed for a long time.
"I would like to say that the gunners from the Ukrainians are worthless, but I can't," admits the commander of the installation with the call sign Zakhar. — They work on us right away. Camouflage, equipment of trenches and dugouts is the most important thing at the front."
Servicemen of the rocket artillery unit and the 1st brigade of the DPR army are preparing to fire at the positions of the AFU in the Avdiivka direction
Image source: © RIA Novosti / Andrey Kotz
The situation is complicated by the fact that the positions of Donetsk are constantly being hit with a NATO 155-millimeter caliber. "I'm used to how Soviet shells sound. And the "voice" of Western ammunition is unusual, it is unclear what is flying," he continues. — The M777 howitzers are superior to what the DPR army has in terms of striking power, the scattering of fragments and the accuracy of fire. It's a good thing they don't have many of these guns. So far we are coping."
Common cause
The calculation takes positions inside the combat vehicle. "Grad", roaring with a powerful engine, leaves the forest belt for 30 meters. And freezes, unfolding a package of guides to the left — to Avdiivka. The commander fluently dictates the firing data, the gunner makes corrections, adjusts the vertical and horizontal angles.
The command "Volley!" sounds — and the installation sends sixteen high-explosive rocket shells to the positions of the APU with a bang. A few seconds later, the commander's radio wheezes: "The target is hit." The smoke does not have time to settle, as the combat vehicle takes off. This point has already been accurately "copied" by the Ukrainian radars of counter-battery warfare.
"We were hitting at a distance of about ten kilometers now, it's very close," explains the gunner with the call sign Lyga. — We were spotted, so we need to leave here urgently. As we say, they shot — and into the hole. The "response" comes very quickly — five to ten minutes maximum. Once they worked out exactly where the installation was shooting from. Then I managed to leave literally at the last moment."
Military personnel of the rocket artillery unit and the 1st brigade of the DPR army are preparing to fire at the positions of the AFU in the Avdiivka direction
Image source: © RIA Novosti / Andrey Kotz
According to the military, the work of a rocket gunner is akin to playing Russian roulette. If you're lucky, you won't be lucky, they'll spot you — they won't spot you, they'll cover you — they won't cover you. At the same time, excessive haste is also strictly contraindicated. "Grad" is not the most accurate weapon and can accidentally hit friendly units, so the sight is checked very carefully. According to the standard from the MLRS, it is impossible to cover enemy positions that are closer than four kilometers from their own troops.
"Artillery does not win wars and does not occupy cities," says an officer with the call sign Oscar. — This is the duty and privilege of the infantry. And we work for her, helping our comrades with a "spark". It depends on us whether the assault groups will meet with concentrated fire or throw out a white flag. The army is a complex mechanism in which all the details must be perfectly fitted."
In recent days, the volleys have been getting louder — the decisive battle for Donbass has begun. In the DPR, they are very much waiting for the breakthrough of the defense of the weseushnikov. They've been waiting for the last eight years.
Andrey Kotz
