HS in Ukraine | Artillery fire is directed to Bahmut from the ramshackle detached house, just like in the movies

Bahmut’s outside the city, a ramshackle detached house hides quite a surprise. The view in the living room of a detached house is like something from an American action movie, where the progress of a military strike is watched live in the situation room.

The room has several large screens on the walls. On the largest screen, you can watch a live aerial view of Bahmut’s front. The video broadcast on the screen comes from Ukrainian drones, which watch the battlefield unflinchingly.

In the room, half a dozen young Ukrainians follow the development of the situation on their screens and computers. Energy drinks are sipped diligently and nicotine is consumed.

When the team locates a Russian mortar on Bahmut, the room is cleared of outside visitors.

“Get off the screen!” guests are kicked out of the way.

The situation is on.

A few minutes later, one of the youths shows what appears to be a video recording of how they managed to destroy the Russian target.

With the help of the video image transmitted by the drone, the Ukrainians were able to correct their artillery concentration on the target. The first two miss the Russians a bit, but the third time tells the truth: the object explodes into flames and the Russians who survived the attack or are only wounded try to escape from the place.

“Run boys!” one of the men sneers triumphantly as he watches a video of fleeing Russian soldiers.

Partly such is the war in Ukraine. In the war, many types of airplanes have been used to fight modern warfare. With the help of information transmitted by airplanes, for example, artillery fire can be directed and reconnaissance can be carried out. They can also be used to drop small bombs on the enemy’s neck.

This command center outside Bahmut belongs to a unit called Seneca, which also conducts radio intelligence on Russian communications in Bahmut.

“We have heard from the messages we intercepted, among other things, how the Russians have been scared. They wanted to kill us all, but we are still here,” says the fighter Evans performing young man.

“Sometimes they scream in fear for more ammunition. There are elite soldiers from Wagner and the landing forces in Bahmut,” says Evans based on radio intelligence.

By Wagner, he refers to a Russian mercenary company that has even recruited Bahmut soldiers from Russian prisons. They have been promised amnesty from imprisonment after a combat command. Countless recruits did not have time to see their freedom, but died in the fields of Bahmut.

Ukraine and Russia have been fighting for Bahmut for a long and bloody time. The Russians have been said to have poured their soldiers into the city out of grief, sparing no lives.

The video image transmitted by Seneca’s drones shows what kind of impact the war has made. The buildings have been destroyed and the larger fields have been pierced by artillery fire. At a glance you can see hundreds, maybe thousands of shell craters.

“You can see the difference between the Russian and Ukrainian artillery,” explains the Ukrainian corporal posing as Augur of the crater view.

“Russia is shooting from the full flank and trying to destroy everything. Ukrainian artillery doesn’t have that much ammunition, but we have to be able to make our strikes more accurate. And here drones have a significant role, as they help us with more precise strikes,” says Augur.

With the help of comparatively cheap airplanes, losses of own troops can also be significantly saved, when reconnaissance can be done from the air.

For example, DJI’s Mavic 3 airplanes are used, which are also sold in Finland for hobby use as so-called off-the-shelf items. You can get an airplane package from the store for around 2,400 euros. However, the software of the drones used in Ukraine has been slightly modified so that the location information of their pilots is not revealed to the enemy.

According to the Ukrainians, since last summer, the Russians have also started using small airplanes in increasing numbers. It’s a constant arms race as the parties find out the weaknesses of each other’s systems.

When unit members are asked about the number of Russians killed using their information, the answers vary.

One tells about a hundred killed in a month, the other about 14.5 in one attack. Half of it is due to the fact that, based on the reconnaissance photo, the lower limbs of one of the dead Russian soldiers were no longer visible after the explosion.

“I personally feel nothing at the time of the attack, although some people may be happy about the Russians killed. It’s not good to let your emotions rule. This is simply just work. They are all just targets for me,” says Augur.

The leader of the Seneca forces, called the warrior Snakesays that his forces also destroy the Russian air forces and logistics, among other things.

“Our troops alone will not win this battle, but we will do everything we can to win in Bahmut. It is also important that our eyes in the sky [lennokkien] with our help, we can create fear among the Russians. They know we can see them,” says Käärme.

The team’s chief pilot arrives at Seneca’s headquarters from the battlefield, and Käärme is obviously proud of him. The pilot’s sleeve badge has a Moomin embroidered on it.

Elsewhere A 20-year-old on the outskirts of Bahmut Varnak says that he knew almost nothing about explosives before the Russian invasion. Now he answers to the small drones about the explosives installed in Bahmut’s battles.

“I knew TNT existed. I guess I learned that too From Minecraft”, Varnak refers to the popular video game.

“I learned this business here,” Varnak says in his workshop and shows how one of the grenades that can be dropped from an airplane is made. The job won’t take long. Parts in place and the finished grenade in the box.

In the small room, an ordinary pipe, which is used in building bombs, is leaning against the wall. There is a box of shotguns on the table and other bomb parts are here and there. The explosive is similar to the famous C4 plastic explosive.

“I love this job. Every time I make a grenade, I think about how it might kill enemies.”

Varnak spins the grenade in his hands. The bomber may notice the worried look of the guests, because he wants to reassure.

“Don’t worry, this isn’t going to explode. Its detonator has not yet been set.”

Varnak is not himself in Bahmut’s bloodiest battles, but has done his part in defending the city.

“Of course, I’m not a military analyst, but I believe in the motto of our troop department. According to it, we move forward exclusively, and we do not retreat. The same applies to all of Ukraine. We will fight until the end.”