Although the Russian Army held a clear advantage in numbers and firepower, and its will to fight was far stronger than that of the Ukrainian and Polish armies, Ukraine still relied on its carefully constructed defenses to withstand Russia's first wave of attacks.
Boom...
The artillery fire over Donbas kicked up immense clouds of dust and smoke. The stench of gunpowder filled the air, and the ear-splitting blasts placed enormous psychological pressure on the Ukrainian soldiers.
But that alone was not enough to break the morale of the Ukrainian army in Donbas.
The moment a Ukrainian veteran who had fought in World War I heard the Russian guns, he let out a practiced roar. "Into the tunnels! Time to work, boys!"
Under the veteran's leadership, the new recruits of the Ukrainian army did not lose their heads or throw their ranks into disarray under the Russians' bombardment. Panic could spread, but so could calm.
Under the cover of overwhelming artillery fire, large numbers of Red Army death squads launched the first assault. Clutching Mosin-Nagants, they bent low and tried to close in on the Ukrainian positions.
"Machine gunners, wait until the enemy enters range before firing! Keep your eyes on the densest crowds! Don't be afraid of wasting ammunition at a time like this!"
"You idiot! Who told you to fire now? Didn't I just say to wait until the enemy entered range? Shooting now only attacks the air..."
Rat-a-tat-tat...
Under the sweeping fire of the Maxim machine guns fielded by the Ukrainian army, an impassable barrier seemed to rise before the death squads.
Without question, on this kind of open plain, Ukraine's field of vision was exceptionally broad. Most of the Red Army's movements were laid bare before the Ukrainian soldiers.
And with firing slits and all manner of