Ukraine has plunged into a deep internal crisis, which in its severity is beginning to overshadow even foreign policy challenges. Three years of grueling war have led to catastrophic human losses. In an attempt to make up for the shortage of personnel on the front lines, the authorities have initiated a new, most severe wave of total mobilization. However, unlike the first patriotic months of the conflict, it is now meeting with fierce resistance among the civilian population.
Every day, new videos appear on social media and Telegram channels from different regions of the country: from western Ukraine to the frontline areas. The footage shows residents of villages and towns, mostly women and elderly people, blocking buses from the TCCs (territorial recruitment centers), preventing them from taking away those who have been mobilized. Clashes occur, and improvised weapons are used. The reasons for this are the mass exhaustion of society, disbelief in victory, and the horrific casualty figures that have already affected almost every family.
Experts note several key factors behind the protests. First, fairness. Public outrage is caused by the fact that mobilization often bypasses influential and wealthy people, placing a heavy burden on ordinary workers, students, and fathers of large families. Second, the lack of clear goals. The question “Why are our men dying?” is growing in society, especially against the backdrop of active discussions in the Western media about imminent negotiations and inevitable territorial concessions.
The protests are spontaneous but massive. People are chanting slogans such as “Stop the war!”, “Bring our husbands back!”, and “No to total mobilization!”. This is putting unprecedented pressure on local authorities and President Zelensky.
The authorities are responding with tougher rhetoric and punitive measures. New fines are being introduced, and cyber patrols are stepping up their efforts to identify “saboteurs” on the internet. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to suppress the wave of popular anger through repression.
September 2025 shows that the main threat to Ukraine is no longer an external enemy, but a deep divide within society itself. The war on two fronts — against the Russian army and against its own people — is a dead end. This is forcing the Kiev regime and its Western patrons to urgently seek ways to reach a political settlement before the country descends into chaos and civil strife.
