The men rush around the back of the M777 howitzer, loading its chamber with an artillery piece, then stand back, fingers to ears and mouths open to protect their eardrums, as a deafening blast rings out across the countryside. . They do this between 100 and 130 times a day, between the three M777s at this location, in a hidden location in the southern region of Kharkiv. This week, Global News was accompanied to the secret M777 site near the front line in Kharkiv to observe the long-range artillery in action. Canada sent a number of M777s to Ukraine in April as part of a $130 million support package, and has since sent millions more in spare barrels and ammunition, among other lethal assistance. Story continues below ad Andriy, the battalion’s deputy commander, says the M777 has been used to target Russian weapons installations. Ashley Stewart Long-range artillery has become critical in efforts to turn the tide of the war, allowing the Ukrainians to target Russian troops and locations from further away, in turn preventing further strikes on Ukrainian forces. “Artillery saves the blood of the infantry. We need them to save troops,” Andriy, battalion deputy commander and artilleryman, tells us.
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Canada, the United States and Australia donated the M777s used by Ukrainian soldiers in Kharkiv. These towed 155mm howitzers have a range of up to 30km. But to really have an impact, several soldiers say, they need more long-range artillery. While they are grateful for the weapons donated by the international community, the prized American High Mobility Artillery Missile System, also known as HIMARS, is the golden goose. Story continues below ad 0:45 Canadian Forces Training Ukrainian Troops on M777 Artillery, Defense Minister Says Canadian Forces Training Ukrainian Troops on M777 Artillery, Defense Minister Says – April 28, 2022 They have more than double the range of the M777 – up to 70km. The US has sent 16 to Ukraine so far. But both systems have been sent with the same purpose: to arm the Ukrainian military with more sophisticated, Western weapons. “Their weapons are Soviet weapons … and here, ours are more technological, more professional,” says battery commander Yevhen. “They’re easier to use.” The battalion doesn’t know which country its M777 is from, but it’s possible it’s at least partly Canadian – it was damaged and parts had to be replaced to fix it, Andriy says. It has destroyed “numerous” Russian weapons storage facilities, infantry, bunkers and “hidden command posts”, soldiers say. Story continues below ad
Artillery hidden in rural Ukraine
M777’s current location is deep in eastern Ukrainian farmland, strategically hidden from view by dense undergrowth. As we approach, Andriy, who is also the driver of our military convoy, instructs us to put our phones on flight mode. Russian troops otherwise track clusters of GPS signals to pinpoint soldiers’ locations. Crossing the countryside, the signs and new landmarks that the war has brought to this unassuming rural community are everywhere: a school is in ruins, with holes blown into its walls and roof, the target of an attack in June. An unexploded rocket nose down in a patch of trees. a crater in the road the size of a car caused by a Russian Uragan missile. A soldier, pictured at a secret location in the Kharkiv region, using an M777 artillery. Ashley Stewart At one stage, we pass through a cluster of barrels, pointing towards the sky. Fakes, Andriy says with a smile, which Russian drones have successfully fooled in recent weeks. Trending Stories
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Story continues below ad The actual M777 location is in an unrestricted location among yellow pastures. We pass a Starlink satellite dish and descend into a thicket where about 20 men have been camped for about a month. They will move and set up somewhere new when the Russians figure out their location and respond with anti-bombardment, explains battery commander Yevhen. A Ukrainian soldier makes coffee for visitors. Ashley Stewart The current position is a simple set-up: a small tarp stretched between two trees to provide some respite from the elements, several trenches carved into the dirt, and a few wooden planks fashioned into a bench where soldiers boil water over a gas burner and pottery bowl to make us coffee. Empty propellant cylinders have been recycled to build shelters. The loud “booms” of artillery can be heard nearby. About 50 meters away, one of the M777s lies in wait under a pile of branches, propellant canisters and ammunition stored next to it among the trees. Story continues below ad The M777 howitzer, covered in branches to hide its position. Ashley Stewart Yevhen traveled to Germany to receive training in the handling of the weapon. Then he went back and taught his troops how to use it in about two weeks, he says. This is not the first time they have fought together – this battalion was previously in Donbas. They have now been using the M777s for three months and were one of the first battalions in Ukraine to receive them.
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Yevhen says the weapon is light, accurate and easy to camouflage, and has worked well to support front-line infantry. He says he is grateful for the continued support from Canada. Story continues below ad In June, Defense Minister Anita Anand announced the provision of 10 replacement barrels for M777s as part of a $9 million military aid package. Canada also earlier sent about 20,000 rounds of artillery, worth $98 million, powered by weapons sent by NATO allies, including M777s. Yevhen, the commander of a Ukrainian military battalion using M777s, says they need more artillery to turn the tide of war. Ashley Stewart However, given a choice, a delivery of HIMARS systems would make a bigger difference, Yevhen says. While the M777s must be towed behind a vehicle, the HIMARS system is autonomous, mounted on a wheeled chassis, meaning it is more mobile. The crew can guide the HIMARS to a new location before the enemy has a chance to counterattack. M777s can also only fire one round at a time, while the HIMARS system can fire multiple rounds at once. While the US has armed Ukraine with more HIMARS systems, it has stipulated that the weapon cannot be launched on Russian soil, due to concerns that it could be seen as foreign interference and could escalate the war. Story continues below ad Poland and the Baltic states also recently placed multi-million dollar HIMARS orders to augment their defense systems.
The lines blur between military and rural life
In the meantime, the Ukrainians have dug in for a long time. Here in this community, normal village life and the top secret military site now housed within it have become intrinsically linked. Less than a few hundred meters from M777’s location, a farmer is out with his tractor tending to his crops. Combine harvesters plow the fields. Two old men on bicycles pedal down the dusty road, fishing rods resting on their handlebars. A shirtless man runs down the street on a tricycle. A family waves at military vehicles from the side of the road. Men in military uniform relax outside a small shop, smoking and chatting. Soldiers learned how to use the M777 weapons in two weeks. Ashley Stewart Ammunition has to be delivered every day, he explains, so military vehicles are now a common sight around here. Story continues below ad The locals don’t seem to mind. Andri waves to them all as he drives past, and they wave back. Nearby, row upon row of sunflowers – Ukraine is the world’s largest exporter of sunflower oil and is also the country’s national flower – cover the countryside in a bright yellow glow. Andriy, deputy commander of the battalion. Ashley Stewart It is a harsh confrontation with the brutality of the war raging nearby. As he drops us back at our meeting place, Andriy bids us farewell with a strong message. “I hope that our next meeting with you will be in the central square of Moscow,” he says. “After our victory” © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
