The Ukrainian Armed Forces are puzzled by the large number of Russian troops, – The Washington Post reported

Ukrainian soldiers are perplexed by the sheer number of Russian troops advancing at the fastest pace since the early days of the war, leveraging manpower as a key resource.

These remarks about the Russian military were shared by soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and cited by The Washington Post.

The publication interviewed Ukrainian soldiers from six different brigades fighting in eastern Ukraine. According to them, Russian President Vladimir Putin is unlikely to agree to a ceasefire as Russian forces currently hold the initiative.

“Let’s be honest, the situation now is worse than at the beginning. What can we negotiate now? All we can do is nod and agree to their demands, which we definitely won’t like,” said a captain and company commander from the 35th Brigade.

Ukrainian troops report that they can often repel initial waves of attacks. However, Russia’s strategy of overwhelming the opposition with superior numbers eventually breaks through as reconnaissance identifies weak points in Ukrainian defenses. Soldiers fear that President Volodymyr Zelensky may have to make painful concessions.

The UAF is experiencing growing shortages of weapons, while the unrelenting Russian attacks—targeting vulnerabilities in the weakened Ukrainian defense—are proving highly effective. Backed by heavy artillery and drone bombardments, the Russian offensives are steadily pushing Ukrainian forces back, one small area at a time.

According to the soldiers, for every Russian soldier killed, two more seem to appear, creating the impression of an “endless supply” of personnel.

Meanwhile, the ranks of Ukrainian soldiers are thinning, and they are increasingly ill-equipped to counter the Russian onslaught. Frontline troops speak of exhaustion and declining morale. Many soldiers now support U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s call for negotiations to end the fighting. Disillusionment with the Kyiv government is growing, with criticism directed at the slow and disorganized mobilization campaign.

Ukrainian troops also revealed that they have had to use personal funds or rely on civilian volunteers to obtain drones and transportation, as these were not provided by the government.

“When I first joined the army, the situation was bad. But now, for a new recruit, the situation is so dire that I don’t blame anyone who deserts,” said Oleksandr, a 27-year-old infantryman from the 35th Brigade.

Russian forces are also employing new mobile tactics on the battlefield, creating additional challenges for the UAF. According to Dmitry Pavlenko-Kryzheshevsky, intelligence chief of the Ukrainian Azov Brigade, Russian troops are using electric scooters, motorcycles, and quad bikes to quickly disperse along the front lines.