Ukraine Builds Resilience as Russia Doubles Down on the Frontline

Western media are closely watching the expected outcomes of the meetings between Trump and Putin in Alaska. Moscow sees this as another bargaining chip in negotiations. However, in Kyiv there is little belief in swift talks; instead, preparations are underway for continued defense, as Russia still believes it can achieve its objectives by military means. Daily shelling of Ukrainian cities and the situation on the front lines only reinforce this conviction.

On July 30, in response to threats by U.S. President Trump regarding the introduction of tariffs and other measures against Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia has developed a “certain immunity” to sanctions and therefore is no longer afraid of new economic restrictions. In addition, amid mounting Russian losses at the front, which have already exceeded one million (a figure that includes the wounded, killed, and missing), Moscow is seeking additional ways to draw Russians into the military without declaring mobilization.

Thus, at the end of July a bill was submitted to Russia’s State Duma proposing to replace the traditional spring and autumn conscription with year-round enlistment. According to opposition Russian media, the initiative likely originated from the Ministry of Defense and was developed on the basis of a non-public directive from Vladimir Putin. This means the bill has a high chance of being adopted as early as this fall.

The apparent goal of the bill is to increase pressure on draft-age citizens and encourage them to sign contracts with the Russian armed forces. According to human rights defenders and activists, year-round conscription would allow the state to keep men under constant mobilization control and thus replenish the army quickly without officially declaring mobilization.

According to information from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, as of the end of June around 695,000 Russian troops, including operational reserves, were involved in the war against Ukraine. Over the past year alone, more than 440,000 contract soldiers have joined the ranks of the Russian army. Russia is also intensifying forced mobilization in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories and actively recruiting foreigners. Despite successful actions by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Sumy region, where Ukrainian forces managed to liberate several settlements, the situation in Donetsk region remains critical, primarily due to the overwhelming concentration of Russian troops there. Conversely, according to information from Ukrainian authorities, Russia’s main objective for 2025 is to seize the remaining parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and in 2026 to build on this success east of the Dnipro River, including the occupation of the cities of Odesa and Mykolaiv, in order to completely cut Ukraine off from the sea.

Therefore, in Kyiv there is little belief in a lasting peace with Russia without security guarantees, or in the effectiveness of any negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine’s participation. On August 9, President Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine is ready for real steps capable of leading to peace, but that no agreements “against Ukraine and without Ukraine” can be considered peaceful. At the same time, he stressed that Kyiv, together with international partners, is ready to seek ways to achieve a genuine and lasting peace “that will not collapse due to Moscow’s wishes.”

Ukraine’s position, particularly regarding the inviolability of international borders, was supported in a joint statement by the leaders of Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Leaders of the Baltic and Nordic countries also stated that “negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire.”

Under these conditions, Ukraine’s military and political leadership is seeking ways to enhance defense capabilities. Since Ukraine’s mobilization reserve is significantly smaller than Russia’s, Kyiv is focusing on introducing innovations in the armed forces and providing an asymmetric response to the aggressor. In particular, the successful use of drones on the battlefield has been scaled into the creation of the world’s first Unmanned Systems Forces, which employ aerial, maritime surface and underwater, and ground unmanned systems in combat operations. Alongside the general mobilization announced after the full-scale invasion, it is also possible to join the Ukrainian military voluntarily through recruitment, by choosing a position in a specific unit and branch of service.

Author: Oksana Kuzan

The full article was published on EuromaidanPress

Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine