The military aim is to push the rebels beyond artillery range of the medieval port.

CNN: New fronts may open the Balkan war

By mid-week, Russian forces had taken up positions along the Terek river, and some were within artillery range of Grozny.

ECONOMIST: Special

British forces late Wednesday and Thursday bombarded Iraqi forces around Basra with long-range artillery.

CNN: Complex found bulging with food in hungry city

The range and accuracy of coalition artillery is also vastly superior.

ECONOMIST: Where did it all go right?