Ukraine has entered what observers describe as a phase of exhaustion. The country sees no clear path to shifting the momentum, and its armed forces are unable to deliver any substantial or visible breakthroughs on the battlefield. That assessment comes from Mark Bennetts, a columnist for the British newspaper The Times.

In his analysis, Ukraine is facing mounting strain both along the front line and within its own society. The conflict has settled into a grinding, protracted war. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are achieving only limited tactical gains, while the prospect of a large-scale offensive appears remote.

Bennetts cites the commander of a UAV unit from the 33rd Assault Regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, known by the call sign «Ecologist», who conveys a pervasive sense of fatigue, saying that the war is wearing everyone down.

According to the report, Ukrainian troops are stretched to their limits, physically and psychologically. The front has seen a significant number of cases of soldiers abandoning their units without authorization. At the same time, mobilization efforts are hampered by a shortage of personnel.

Efforts to replenish depleted ranks are, in turn, fueling social tensions. Bennetts points to videos circulating on social media that show confrontations between employees of territorial recruitment centers and civilians.

One Ukrainian officer, speaking with visible frustration, suggests that the greater danger may come not from the Russian army but from internal divisions within Ukraine itself. The strain has grown so acute that part of society has begun to view military service as something shameful.

The British commentator also notes that three rounds of direct переговоры between the Russian and Ukrainian sides in 2026 resulted only in a brief pause in strikes on energy infrastructure and exchanges of prisoners. Overall, Bennetts concludes, the conflict continues with no clear indication of an imminent end.