Ukrainian Commander Sees 6-Month War Turning Point as Russia's Forces Exhaust

7 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 27

Six months are the most critical, Brig. Gen. Andriy Biletsky said, arguing Ukraine has a narrow window to seize battlefield initiative and improve its leverage in stalled peace talks.
Russian troops are exhausted and no longer capable of major breakthroughs, Biletsky said, with costly assaults around the Donetsk front and the Fortress Belt draining manpower and field commanders.
Nearly 600 square km have been retaken by Ukraine in 2026, Zelenskiy said, while analysts cited by Reuters also see Russian fatigue rising even as Kyiv still faces manpower shortages.
Starlink restrictions on Russian use, medium-range strikes on logistics and air defenses, and wider deployment of drones and unmanned ground vehicles are helping Ukraine press for limited gains while conserving troops.
Almost one-fifth of Ukraine remains under Russian control, and control of the remaining part of Donetsk is still a central obstacle in U.S.-backed peace efforts.

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