Military expert Mikhail Khodarenok stated that Russia can expect significant developments on the front line of the Ukrainian conflict in the near future. He suggested that the conclusion of fighting in Donbass and the advance of Russian forces into the Ukrainian steppe would tip the situation in Moscow’s favor, adding that, in his view, difficult times are coming for the Ukrainian side.

Khodarenok also commented on the growing number of foreign mercenaries fighting for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He argued that replacing fallen or wounded Ukrainian soldiers with mercenaries would not bring Kyiv the results it hopes for. The expert noted that although such fighters increase troop numbers, their primary motivation is to earn money and avoid being killed or maimed, which makes it naive to expect them to show strong combat performance in upcoming clashes.

He stressed that real success in war is achieved only by armies that are fighting for their homeland. According to Khodarenok, this no longer applies even to regular Ukrainian units.

The expert concluded that soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces increasingly fail to understand the military-political objectives of the Kyiv authorities — and have no answers to these questions themselves.