ITV News crew flee as Russian shells land 600m away on Ukrainian frontline

ITV News Senior International Correspondent John Irvine reports amid Russian shelling

An ITV News crew embedded with a Ukrainian army unit has captured the moment they were forced to flee from the frontline amid Russian shelling.

The team had been filming near the city of Kharkiv with soldiers making use of state-of-the-art weapons from Nato.

Among their arsenal is the Howitzer M777 long-range weapon. The British-designed M777 is the best of its kind - lighter, more precise and can fire further than anything the Ukrainians had before the war began.

When it comes to artillery, the Russians have a 10 to one advantage. However, the Ukrainians believe that with its accuracy and range, the M777 can offset their numerical deficit.

When filming troops firing the M777s, the Russians inevitably fired back. The Ukrainians rushed to get their coveted Howitzers to safety, and ITV News was forced to flee with them. Everyone got away unscathed.

In the Donbas region, also in eastern Ukraine, ITV News spoke to a unit with one of the most fearsome weapons in their arsenal, the Uragan multiple launch rocket system.

Each lorry carries 16 rockets. This specific unit has four lorries, which are operational day and night. Since the war began in the depth of winter, they've fired more than 7,000 rockets.

"The most satisfying target is the one that is confirmed destroyed and, of course enemy, artillery," unit commander Sasha said.

"If we silence their guns, it means our infantry unit have a few days when they are much safer."

While Ukraine can compete in the battlefield, there is one weapon they're struggling to combat - long range ballistic missiles. Three were found in the city of Vinnytsia on Thursday. The death toll stands at 23 and includes children. The number of confirmed fatalities is expected to rise.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know