Ukrainian air defenses detected a record-breaking 145 incoming Shahed drones on Saturday night as Ukraine grapples with significant uncertainty regarding its future support from America and Europe.
In recent weeks, the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Odesa have been subjected to frequent drone and missile strikes, which it seems are part of a renewed Russian effort to weaken the resolve of Ukrainian civilians.
While Russian forces continue to make incremental progress in Donetsk, Ukrainian units are facing manpower shortages and facing extreme strain along the extensive front line.
Reports from the front, where Russian attacks are systematically weakening Ukrainian defenses, particularly near the strategic Donetsk hub of Pokrovsk, are likely contributing to this impression.
“The situation continues to be challenging and is likely to worsen,” stated Oleksander Syrskyi, the military commander in chief, on Saturday. He added that the enemy continues to focus its main efforts on the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove directions and conducts offensive actions, taking advantage of its numerical superiority.
Allies of Ukraine are feeling downcast because of the gloomy forecast; instead of talking about Kyiv winning the war, they are focusing on whether or not it can hold enough ground to make the Kremlin negotiate.
Ukraine’s gains this year have been limited to an unexpected attack on Russia’s Kursk region in August.
The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology frequently asks people whether Ukraine should continue its conflict indefinitely. The percentage of respondents who answered affirmatively decreased from 73% in February to 63% last month.
