STORY: Ukrainian military regulations prohibited identification of the location in Mykolaiv region, bordering Russian-held Kherson.

Soldiers manning a Soviet-era self-propelled howitzer 2S1 Gvozdika were fast to leave the firing position after completing the mission.

“The main thing is that everyone came back alive and well,” Oleksandr, who also identified himself with his callsign Lyutyi (Ukrainian for "fierce”), told Reuters.

“We are home, we are the masters here,” Lyutyi added, standing near the parked howitzer.