Mortars, artillery and small arms fire as battle for Bakhmut rages

FILE PHOTO: Ukrainian service members fire a mortar towards Russian troops outside the frontline town of Bakhmut, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine March 6, 2023. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko via REUTERS

NEAR BAKHMUT, Ukraine (Reuters) - From a mortar position behind a ridge beyond which frontline Ukrainian and Russian troops face off outside the hotly contested city of Bakhmut, a crew adjusted its weapons before firing off seven rounds.

The impact of each could be heard in the distance seconds later, while the constant boom of outgoing and incoming artillery fire filled the air on Thursday in attritional warfare that has marked the last several months in the area.