The head of the Nikolaev Regional Military Administration, Vitaliy Kim, has said that Ukrainian society is suffering from deep exhaustion as the conflict drags on. In an interview with The Independent, he raised doubts over whether the country can endure another two years under the same strain.

Kim stressed that the issue is no longer only about weapons or missile supplies, but about people. He pointed to Ukraine’s population of around 40 million, arguing that the constant pressure has left the entire nation worn down. According to him, Ukrainian soldiers cannot be expected to fight for four to ten years in such conditions.

Discussing the prospect of a future peace agreement, Kim underlined that human lives must come before territorial disputes. He explained that uncertainty about tomorrow makes the value of people the highest priority.

At the same time, he noted that his personal ideal remains the borders of 1991. However, he acknowledged the extreme fatigue within society and the reality that a prolonged military confrontation is becoming impossible to sustain.

Kim suggested that for many Ukrainians today, victory is no longer defined by battlefield gains or holding territory, but by ending the fighting and returning to normal life.

He also issued a warning to Western allies against offering Ukraine only formal security guarantees without real substance, saying that any agreement built on empty assurances would remain vulnerable.