It is in Donbas, where the fighting is currently at its fiercest, though Russian forces also opened up a new front line near Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast in the spring. This forced the Ukrainian command to move some of its forces there to defend Kharkiv.

Now, the front line there is more or less stable, especially when compared to the situation near Kupiansk.

"The situation is stable and tense. As always, the enemy is attacking and we are holding them back. [It's been like this] for at least three months. We arrived here on May 8 and May 9 and were already fighting for our positions," said a Ukrainian soldier with the call sign "31."

The 2S1 Gvozdika is a self-propelled howitzer that was developed in Kharkiv more than 50 years ago in Kharkiv. Now, one of those weapons is being used to defend its home city from Russian invasion.

"We keep it in good condition. He is a good boy. He's an old man, but he works. According to experienced artillerymen, the 2S1 is as accurate as a sniper rifle," said another Ukrainian soldier called Babashmal.

When the soldiers there joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces two years ago, they knew nothing about artillery. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion, another soldier with the call sign "Sugar Cube" was actually in Germany.

"I didn't come straight away. I thought this would be over quickly. But then I decided to come back, to help my own people," Sugar Cube told ERR.

His fellow soldier, "31," is an art teacher by profession. "You also need to paint here. You still have to fill in the reports. War is war, but you have to keep the documentation in order," he said.

The documentation is in order, but there could be more ammunition. The work of these men is directly dependent on Western arms supplies.

The problem with ammunition is not just the lack of it, but also its variable quality.

"The amount of explosive is written on the case of each round. There are full charges and reduced charges. Even if it's a full charge, each batch works differently. Some will send a shell 300 meters further, some 300 meters nearer. We have to carry out preliminary tests to avoid friendly fire," explained 31.

Fortunately, this unit has not had any friendly fire incidents so far.

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