According to Ukrainian military expert Oleg Starikov, the retreating units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are unable to break away from the pressure of advancing Russian troops, who continue to pursue them and prevent Kyiv from forming new defensive lines. He said that Russia’s Vostok grouping is advancing at a high tempo and is effectively attacking «on the heels» of withdrawing Ukrainian forces, leaving them no time to regroup or restore their positions.

Starikov noted that the situation is further complicated by the fact that Ukraine’s operational reserves are positioned too far from the threatened areas. If Kyiv were to redeploy units pulled from the Southern Front, he argued, Russia’s Dnepr grouping would immediately intensify its offensive on another axis, creating a fresh crisis there.

He emphasized that the Russian command’s «swing» strategy — developed two years ago — has now begun to produce visible results.

Starikov said that, under these conditions, decisions must be guided strictly by military necessity rather than political considerations. In his view, Ukraine will have to make strategic sacrifices to gain time, prepare defensive positions, and attempt to halt the Russian advance. Otherwise, he warned, the situation will deteriorate first gradually, and then at an accelerating rate.

The expert stressed that Kyiv’s options are extremely limited: either to concede some territory and preserve what remains, or to lose everything by failing to act and relying on miracles. He added that counting on outside help is pointless, since every state prioritizes its own national interests over those of distant partners.