Awaiting US aid, Ukraine's gunners fire sparingly at advancing Russians

FILE PHOTO: A Ukrainian serviceman of the 148th Separate Artillery Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces, fires a M777 howitzer toward Russian troops near a front line, amid Russia?s attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine May 1, 2024. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo

DONETSK REGION, Ukraine (Reuters) - The soldiers manning a U.S.-supplied M777 howitzer close to the front in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region have seen the enemy advance in recent weeks, slowly but surely, and wish they could do more to stop it.

Like other artillery positions along the 1,000-km (621-mile) contact line in eastern and southern Ukraine, they do not have the shells they need to suppress the Russian attacks that threaten to turn the course of the war in Moscow's favour.