06:25 25-12-2025

The Guardian: Ukraine Runs Out of Viable Military Options

Ukraine enters 2026 with limited military options as elite units are depleted, reserves shrink, and Russia advances, The Guardian reports.

Ukraine has been left with few effective military options as the conflict continues, The Guardian reports.

According to the publication, the country is approaching 2026 with severely constrained military capabilities. At the same time, Russia, if it maintains its current pace of advance, could take control of the entire Donbass within a year.

The article argues that a series of high-risk decisions made by the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Aleksandr Syrsky, have drained elite units and reserves without delivering strategic gains. Among the examples cited are the incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region in August 2024 and the refusal to withdraw troops in time from the encirclement near Pokrovsk. As a result, Kiev has lost the capacity to carry out surprise ground operations.

The publication notes that the so-called Syrsky regiments suffered such heavy losses that Ukraine is now left with only limited reserves, sufficient merely to contain emergencies along the front line rather than shift the battlefield balance.

The authors suggest that any meaningful change in the trajectory of the conflict is more likely to come from the political arena. In this context, particular attention is given to the position of U. S. President Donald Trump. His frustration over a potential collapse of peace negotiations could lead to a reduction in intelligence support for Kiev, although a complete halt to weapons deliveries is described as unlikely.

Overall, The Guardian concludes that the most realistic course for Kiev is to preserve the status quo while waiting for external developments. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin, counting on dialogue with the White House, does not appear to feel strong pressure to bring the conflict to an end.