The military pickup truck accelerates as it emerges from a line of trees and races across an open field toward a Ukrainian mortar site about half a mile from the Russian border.
A soldier sitting in the back with a Sky News team says the increased speed is necessary because of the threat from Russian drones.
Back in the cover of the forest, the vehicle slows slightly as it bumps along a dirt road before turning into a clearing still shaded by overhanging branches – a natural shelter from prying eyes or bombs in the sky.
News on the Ukraine war: Selenskyj reveals target of Kursk invasion
The mortar team prepares to fire on suspected Russian positions
A mortar team led by a commander named Junior Lieutenant Dmytro emerges from a makeshift shelter dug into the ground.
They say their mission on the Ukrainian side of the border in the Sumy region has changed since Ukraine invaded Russia nearly two weeks ago.
Instead of defending their territory from a new Russian attack with mortar shells, they are now attacking targets in Russia’s Kursk region to support the advance of Ukrainian ground forces.
For the soldiers of the 117th Brigade, which is part of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense, the change in their focus was a great help.
Like much of the rest of the country – and the world – they were unaware of Kyiv’s invasion plans until August 6, but are now proud to be part of that mission.
“Given this brilliant operation and the large number of enemy territories we have occupied, I cannot yet say that I am happy. I will be happy when the war is over. But right now I am happy and full of hope,” says 45-year-old Dmytro.
After his team receives a new attack position on the Russian side of the border, he and his soldiers jog to their mortar, which lies among the trees a few dozen meters away.
A member of the mortar team told Sky News: “We go where we are sent.”
A soldier loads a mortar
They try to minimize the time they spend above the Earth to avoid being detected from the other side.
The weapon, which fires 120 mm shells, is kept on the bottom of a specially dug trench.
To conceal the system, the soldiers have installed two camouflage flaps over the hole. They only open the flaps to fire it – and then quickly close them again.
We watch them waiting for the coordinates of the target.
Suddenly the team is alerted to a Russian surveillance drone in the sky.
We are told to rush to a shelter that is part of the mortar trench.
After a few minutes we think it is safe to surface, but almost immediately an FPV (First Person View) drone is spotted and we have to hide again.
These drones are armed with munitions and designed to crash into targets, making any person outdoors extremely vulnerable.
Then a second FPV drone can be seen as well as another surveillance drone.
The mortar team waits until the danger has passed.
Then it’s their turn to attack.
The commander receives the coordinates from his headquarters via radio. He passes them on to his team, who load the weapon.
“Fire!” Dmytro shouts, putting his fingers in his ears.
With a bang, the cannon fires a grenade across the border into Russia.
A minute or two later, the team fires again and again.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player.
Sky reporter travels with Ukrainian mortar team
In total, they fire five mortar shells at the Kursk region before hiding the mortar again and running back to their main hideout.
As we run down wooden steps into an underground room with bunk beds, the soldiers tell us that we all have to hide because a Russian drone is again above us, searching for the firing position.
While they wait, one of the team pulls out his cell phone and shows us footage from one of their drones of the mortar shells they had just fired that hit a Russian position.
Read more:
Ukraine destroys important Russian bridge
Putin’s ally calls on Russia and Ukraine to end the war
Security and defense editor Deborah Haynes on the mortar team
Ukrainian soldiers observe their mortar attacks via drone footage
Two of the shells appear to land close to the target. Russian troops can be seen taking cover. Then the other shells hit.
Dmytro says their workload has increased “significantly” since the start of the Ukrainian invasion of Kursk.
Stay up to date with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Tap here
“The ammunition supply has been significantly increased and we are working day and night. As far as I know, this is about supporting our forces in Kursk,” he says.
When asked if he believes his unit will advance into Russia, he says: “If we get the order, we will go… We will go wherever we are sent and fulfill our duties.”
As he speaks, a small white kitten appears. Her name is Matilda and she has been adopted by the unit – a welcome relief from the pressures of war.
👉 Click here to subscribe to Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts 👈
Like the rest of his team, the commander was a civilian before he decided to join the territorial defense following Russia’s large-scale invasion two and a half years ago.
In his civilian life he was an engineer – a profession he would like to pursue again after the war.
He hopes that Ukraine’s counter-invasion into Russia will hasten an end to the fighting.
“Everyone is exhausted, both mentally and physically,” he says.
“We hope (that it ends) and have great expectations.”
Additional reporting by Azad Safarov, producer in Ukraine
