ukraine says it's pushed russian troops
right back to their own border near the
country's second largest city harkiev
ukrainian forces have been
counter-attacking and retaking territory
in the north-east of the country in
recent days as moscow focuses on the
donbass region further south
our special report tonight is from near
the eastern city of isiam known as the
gateway to the donbass that area has
seen some of the most ferocious fighting
over the last three weeks our
correspondent quentin somerville and
camera journalist darren conway have
been on patrol with volunteer fighters
of the territorial defense force
war descended suddenly upon ukraine
along the eastern front its men may be
in bunkers but they do not cower here
three times in the last month the
russians have attacked this base with
infantry and tanks and three times
they've been repelled
another attack may be imminent
so here they wait
vladimir putin has turned their days
into night
and taken them away from their families
but for the men of this territorial
defense unit
this is now home
above their heads hangs a constant
threat
the town they've dug under is all but
abandoned
it's people gone
orphan pets have sought shelter here too
the men know it won't be long before the
next attack
above a russian barrage is the signal
it's time to get to work
outside these walls everything is in the
line of fire
and these men face it daily
they need little reminder that to the
north the majority of russia's forces
are headquartered
and to the south
most of their ukrainian comrades
their patrols and defense along this
front line keep these two mighty forces
apart
the shells start landing closer as the
russians adjust their aim
so you get a sense
of what russia's artillery and tanks
can do
to ukrainian homes this is relentless
but the reason
that these men
are holding on so tight here in these
defensive positions is because
they simply cannot let the russians
through here if they do
more ukrainian troops to the south and
the donbass will be under threat
so they're hanging on for dear life here
at the front there's no bunker but
they're armed to the teeth
yuri this is a volunteer battalion these
men are doing ordinary jobs before the
war and they're facing against russian
tanks russian heavy artillery indirect
fire how are they managing to hold the
russians off
our men
they
go
going on but they fight
every day
or buy this fire
you can watch it
because we believe
that all the democratic countries all
the world will help us
and when
we
um we will take we will give modern
weapon
these brave men
they can destroy
completely russian army
as the day grows long it's time to pick
up the pace on open ground there's no
safe hiding place
[Music]
pinned down the route back is cut off by
artillery fire
so through gardens and backyards they
search for an escape
the soldier calls out leave this place
as soon as possible
and it's here we find natasha stubbornly
hanging on
do you need help leaving yuri asked
something
i don't have anyone here
but she's defiant
this war wasn't her choice
it's as if she refuses to acknowledge it
even as russian shells soar overhead
let's go to
her house she invite us
oh we can't go forward can we
[Music]
i don't want to betray my husband
he's buried in the cemetery here
i won't leave him
we try one last time
natasha why why don't you leave here
because it's my home and i have nowhere
to go
yuri implores her natasha go to nearby
town they will help you there
why i got used to it now he says we can
help you are you ready to be evacuated
and if i go there what will i do next
off you go guys
thank you we have to leave but natasha's
told to pack her bags they'll come back
for her when the shelling stops
despite the onslaught the men pushed
forward
this is what stalemate sounds like on
the eastern front
and this is what it takes to keep the
gateway to the donbass firmly shut
quentin somerville bbc news near easom
ukraine