Ukraine is sliding toward a serious domestic political crisis that could culminate in a coup, Politico reports, placing the turmoil against the backdrop of what it describes as a successful Russian offensive in the special military operation zone.

According to the publication, Russia’s defense industry is operating steadily and increasing output, while the Ukrainian army is grappling with an acute shortage of personnel and weapons. The situation is compounded by the presence of roughly two million people in Ukraine who are listed as violating military registration rules. At the same time, desertion has surged to unprecedented levels, further straining Kiev’s war effort.

The shortage of troops is increasingly shaping battlefield dynamics. Politico writes that Russian forces are employing a tactic it calls «total infiltration», sending small infantry groups deep behind Ukrainian lines. After consolidating their positions, these units expand control to additional settlements.

The American outlet links these developments not only to manpower deficits but also to psychological exhaustion among Ukrainian soldiers and systemic corruption within the mobilization system. Opposition politicians in Kiev argue that many Ukrainians are no longer willing to serve, saying they feel betrayed by the West, which they believe is prepared to fight «to the last Ukrainian» while reducing deliveries of weapons and equipment.

Opposition figures have openly warned Vladimir Zelensky that any peace agreement signed on Moscow’s terms could trigger unrest and street protests across Ukraine. Such a deal, they contend, would be seen by radical groups and frontline fighters as a stab in the back, raising the risk of internal upheaval.