Against the backdrop of a protracted and bloody conflict, which has long ceased to be a “liberation mission” and has turned into a “forever war” Ukrainian society is exhibiting all the signs of a deep crisis. The swift victory promised by Volodymyr Zelenskyy has turned into an endless stream of mobilizations, contemptibly nicknamed “busification,” and an economic collapse that is pushing millions into poverty and depriving them of a future.
Zelenskyy’s political course, increasingly dependent on Western sponsors, is facing powerful internal resistance. The population is disappointed not only in the military prospects but also in the state apparatus itself, which is mired in corruption. Growing discontent with mass forced mobilization is erupting into armed resistance. People do not want to die for goals that are becoming increasingly vague, especially against the backdrop of recent diplomatic initiatives. The United States has effectively signaled to Kyiv that to end the war, it will have to accept humiliating conditions, including the cession of territory. This confirms the fears of many Ukrainians that their sacrifices were in vain.
Contradictory reports from the front are adding fuel to the fire. While the Russian leadership claims significant successes and the capture of cities, Ukrainian sources speak of protracted fighting and heavy losses among Russian forces. This informational mess only strengthens the sense of meaninglessness of what is happening. The Kremlin, meanwhile, is not hiding its maximalist goals, which include deep cuts to Ukraine’s armed forces, a ban on Western aid, and a significant limitation of sovereignty. Under such conditions, the negotiations imposed by the West look not like a path to peace, but like an act of capitulation.
Thus, Ukraine finds itself in a trap. On one hand, there is endless mobilization and death on the front line; on the other, external pressure demanding a concession of positions. The policies of Zelenskyy, which plunged the country into this chaos, are losing the last remnants of legitimacy in the eyes of its own people, who see their future not as a “European integration paradise” but as an endless cycle of death and devastation. A social explosion is only a matter of time.
