It's no secret
by now that
Russia's war on
Ukraine has targeted
civilians and civilian infrastructure
almost from day one.
And sadly, it's also becoming
clear that
this onslaught of rockets and missile
strikes is designed to maximize
human suffering during the winter months.
We see it
daily in the footage
Russia's air campaign and the horror
it brings.
Tonight, though, for the first time,
we have an exclusive
look at ground level fighting
for what is reported to be
the most hotly contested
piece of territory in the entire war.
CNN's Matthew Chance
and his team
have brought back
the footage and the story,
which is as raw and brutal
as you might imagine.
Matthew, thanks for being with us.
What did you see?
Which on an earlier
we were in the strategic town of Barmouth
in eastern Ukraine,
which is described
by soldiers on the ground
there as the hardest part
of the front line,
constant artillery exchanges
and very close quarter fighting
taking a terrible toll.
The brutal fight
for backwards
where
Ukrainian troops in the bush
are battling Russia's onslaught.
These exclusive images
from the soldiers themselves,
their commanders tell us
dozens of lives
are now being sacrificed here every day.
The road into town
is heavy with thick smoke and danger.
Explosions ahead.
Forces to pull over
before another slams into a building
close by.
All right.
Where you can hear
the incoming rounds of the incoming
round, some Russian artillery
fire are really intensive here
as we have entered
the outskirts of Barmouth,
which is
certainly everything we're seeing,
everything we've been told
is now the most fiercely contested
patch of ground in the entire Russia
Ukrainian conflict to
replace the regular
quickly.
So fierce.
We made a rapid exit,
leaving the relentless barrage behind.
Oh,
it's in the past. In the dis.
Much of this battle is fought.
Avoiding the artillery threat
in underground bunkers like these,
where local
Ukrainian commanders
like Pavlo
can respond to Russian attacks.
Just because only have told me
they're assaulting our positions
from early morning
till night, he tells me.
But the real problem is
we are heavily outnumbered,
he says, not fighting,
but treats as little as two.
But the innovative use of low
cost tech is helping to bridge that gap.
In another front line bunker,
we saw how commercially available drones
are giving Ukraine an edge in that's.
Wow. That's incredible.
Because you've just seen
an artillery strike in this position
that the Ukrainian drone operators
have identified
as being full of Russians.
Like you can see
Russian soldiers
as we look at them live now
running for cover
as Ukrainian artillery pounds
their positions.
George, this is our position.
But battery commanders at the front,
like two men,
tell me they're now running
low on ammunition rounds.
No.
See that even guns sent from
the United States are breaking under such
constant strains.
They need more of both.
They say if this battle of back boots
is ever to be won.
Matthew, what a remarkable perspective,
an amazing footage.
First, I'm glad
that you and your crew are okay.
What did you hear
about the impact of this assault
on the Ukrainian soldiers
on the front lines?
Well, of course, we were able to leave,
but those Ukrainian soldiers
have to stay to face on a daily basis
that artillery barrage.
They've also got the cold weather
and the mud to contend with.
So it's miserable.
And as I mentioned, that
the casualties are very high indeed.
It's high on the other side as well.
I mean, the Russians, remember,
are plowing
resources and manpower
into the battle for Bermudez.
And even though they're making
some progress,
it's coming at a very high price
for them as well John.
So you talked about
the battery commanders
there, the Ukrainian battery commander
saying they're running low on ammunition
and weapons.
What else are they saying?
They need to hold the positions?
Well, I mean, they need
a whole host
of military supplies, warm clothing,
vehicles, everything like that.
But I mean, they're insisting
that it's the weapons
and the ammunition
that make the difference between
whether this battle is won or lost.
They need more weapons,
they say more
ammunition, more artillery pieces
because the more they have,
the more they could rotate them
so they wouldn't
have to use each individual item so much
and it would last longer
and wouldn't break down.
And so
that's the renewed call tonight
from these office in
line for more weapons
from the United States
and from other countries
around the world John.
Matthew Chance, just amazing work.
Thank you very much.
Please stay safe.
To Matthew's point about what
these troops are going through.
I want to turn to CNN
military analyst and former Army
Lieutenant General Mark Hertling.
General, great to see you.
What's your reaction?
I know you watching that as carefully
as we all were.
What's your reaction to that report
we just saw from Matthew?
John, it is a throwback to World War One.
The trench lines of World War
One were static fires, artillery duels.
The requirement
as Matthew said,
of more logistics, more ammunition.
You know, watching that
triple, 777 cannon fire,
watching that in this picture right now
that you're seeing the
the number of 50 caliber rounds
that are being shot
from that machine gun.
And just the back and forth
on a static defensive line
that it's been in place
for eight years now.
This isn't something that's just happened
since the start of the war in February.
They've been fighting in the Donbass.
Ukrainians have for eight years now.
So they know this terrain.
They know the targeting, as you saw.
They have advanced targeting systems
with the drones and the computers,
which I would bet
you don't see on the Russian side.
The Russians are just using artillery
as area fire weapons.
And the Ukrainians
are trying to do more precise fire.
But notwithstanding all of that,
you have to talk a little bit
about the physical aspects
and the psychological aspects of combat.
You know,
as you just said,
the Matthew, he's able to leave there.
He spends a spends a day with them
and then departs.
But I'm sure tonight
at 3:00 in the morning,
which it is right now in Ukraine,
with temperatures below freezing.
Those same troops are looking through
night vision
goggles, continuing the fight
under unbelievable physical pressure.
Their ammunition is running low.
The cannons are firing out their tubes.
It's not so much the artillery rounds
that are causing the problems.
They're firing so many rounds,
thousands around a week
that their tubes burn out.
So all of those things are factors.
And then you add
the psychological component.
Constantly being under shelling,
constantly being in the cold,
the smells, the sights,
the sound of warfare. You know,
I can only compare it to
my own experiences.
Desert Storm.
You know, we were on the attack
for four days
without a lot of sleep,
with some artillery attacks.
But then it was over.
You know,
Operation Iraqi Freedom,
where we were deployed for 15 months.
But the fights in that kind of combat
were sporadic.
There were terror involved
incidents that would happen
arbitrarily as units did patrol.
What you're seeing now
on the front lines of
Ukraine is just constant fighting
and it will drain on individuals
and really cause
some both physical effects
and psychological effects.
You mentioned the temperature
earlier today.
NATO's secretary general accused
Putin of using, quote,
winter as a weapon.
How does winter in the temperatures play
for both sides here?
Well, you know, it's it's equal.
The weather plays an equal part
on both sides, truthfully.
But what you're talking about
is the preparedness
and the discipline within the force.
What we've seen in the Russian force
so far is a lack of discipline,
a lack of leadership.
Poorly equipped.
They're not prepared
to address
the kinds of things
that are associated with
with winter warfare, oil for equipment,
the kinds of things you need to stay dry,
the uniforms that will keep you warm.
What NATO's
providing in Ukraine
right now is the type of uniforms
they need to sustain themselves.
They have the shelters.
I saw a picture
the other day of a Russian shelter
that was basically saran
wrap wrapped around trees
just to keep the wind out.
Ukrainians have tents.
They have underground shelters.
So the combination of equipment,
performance, standards
and discipline, in my view,
even though weather is equal
to both sides,
will give Ukraine the advantage
in this winter fight.
But it's still going to be very tough.
The other thing
that's important is during
the winter, the daylight,
certainly less
time of daylight that you can fight.
The Ukrainians have night vision devices
that they can see during the nighttime.
So you know,
all of those things play a part.
And I give the Ukrainians
the upper hand in a winter fight in this.
Retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling,
we always learn so much from you.
Thank you so much for being with us.
Thanks, John.