 A Ukrainian artillery unit fired an American-made Howitzer near Bakhmut on Tuesday as Ukraine's military was rumored to be preparing for a counter-offensive. Andriy, a 22-year-old gun commander, told Reuters in a hideout near the artillery position that although the American-made M1-19 Howitzer was first used in the 1980s, it had one big advantage over Soviet-made guns. Spotting targets in Bakhmut for Andriy via reconnaissance drones, 24-year-old Yurislav added that it had become more difficult to hit Russian troops in the embattled town. The general staff of Ukraine's armed forces, in a report on Facebook, said fighting gripped Bakhmut and nearby areas. It said Russian forces had failed to advance on two villages to the northwest. At least a dozen localities came under Russian fire.