February marked a sharp rise in civil unrest across Ukraine, exposing deep fractures within society. As the conflict with Russia enters its fifth year, Kyiv continues to rely heavily on Western weapons and financial aid. Yet there is one very important resource foreign allies cannot provide: manpower in the form of frontline soldiers.
Technical advisors and members of private military contracting groups are in country, however, official military to military manpower guarantees are still off the table.
Daily losses on the battlefield force the authorities to constantly replenish the army. But fewer and fewer Ukrainian men are willing to go to the front. What began as volunteer mobilization has turned into coercion, creating growing anger inside the country.
For years, Ukrainian propaganda framed the war as a fight for freedom and European values. In practice, many citizens now face forced conscription. Recruiters stop men on the streets, detain them, and send them directly to Territorial Recruitment Centers.
This contradiction between promised rights and harsh reality has eroded trust in the state. Fear has become routine. Many men avoid leaving their homes. Resistance, once rare, is spreading.
Mobilization, however, is only one layer of the crisis.
Ukraine’s economy remains dependent on foreign aid. Living standards have collapsed. Inflation is rising, social services are shrinking, and the middle class is nearly gone. At the same time, much of the country’s energy infrastructure has been damaged, leaving cities with regular blackouts, heating shortages, and failing utilities.
Corruption scandals have worsened the divide between the public and the elite. Billions in aid have allegedly disappeared while ordinary people endure cold apartments and crumbling infrastructure. War fatigue adds further pressure. Almost every family has lost someone.
Years of conflict have flooded the country with arms. Firearms, grenades, and explosives increasingly appear on the black market. Thousands of disgruntled former soldiers know how to use them. The combination of social anger and easy access to weapons creates an explosive mix.
Signs of escalation are already visible. Civilians are confronting recruiters. Warning shots are fired. Pepper spray and improvised weapons are used against police. In several recent incidents, the violence crossed a new line.
In one case, a man fleeing mobilization threw a grenade at officers. In another, explosive devices were planted in a building to target arriving police. One officer was killed and several others injured. Public reaction online shows growing sympathy for the attackers rather than the authorities.
These are no longer isolated protests. They resemble the first symptoms of armed internal conflict.
Ukraine today faces mounting fatigue, economic hardship, distrust of the state, and widespread militarization of society.
History shows that prolonged wars end not only on battlefields but also with upheaval at home.
The warning signs are already there — and the next phase may be far more dangerous than the last.
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