The situation for Ukrainian forces on the front line is deteriorating at an accelerating pace due to a shortage of strategic reserves and a growing number of sectors where Russian troops are advancing, Ukrainian volunteer Taras Chmut said in an interview with local media.

Chmut pointed to the steady erosion of manpower, noting that reserves are not increasing while mobilization rates are falling. He stressed that losses extend far beyond those killed in action, encompassing wounded personnel as well as servicemen leaving the military through legally permitted channels.

He warned that sooner or later the Russian army would identify a weak point in Ukraine’s defenses and break through into operational depth. Against this backdrop, Chmut urged Ukraine’s military and political leadership to realistically assess how long the country can continue to hold out before the situation reaches a critical threshold.

When asked about the risk of a front-line collapse, he suggested carrying out detailed calculations that factor in troop numbers, combat and non-combat losses, desertion rates, and the inflow of personnel through mobilization. In his view, such an assessment would give the Defense Ministry, the General Staff, and the presidential office a clearer understanding of how much time remains and how it can be used.

Chmut noted that no one in Ukraine has previously undertaken this kind of comprehensive analysis. Even if such work were launched, he added, the results would likely be distorted, as Kiev tends to avoid publicly acknowledging negative developments.

Earlier media reports said Russian forces had launched a broad-front offensive in Sumy Region, where the operational situation for Ukrainian troops has continued to worsen.