Ukrainian soldiers have been "destroyed" on the frontline as they still remain under armed and lament their "stupid command."
Much of the most intense fighting is taking place in the Donetsk region, occupied by
Russia since 2014. One Ukrainian serviceman described in a post on X how a lack of leadership in the military is costing Kyiv.
He said: "My company was literally destroyed, we carried out tasks in the worst conditions and no one cared, we stormed without support and with stupid command, we defended with almost no support and with the same stupid command."
Meanwhile, General Serhiy Krivonos said in a television interview: "What we have is a serious systemic failure."
Speaking to Al Jazeera, a soldier based in Donetsk said: "We are firing one shell in response to 10 ones from their side."
Nikolay Mitrokhin of Germany's University of Bremen also told the same outlet: "In the Donetsk front, there is a large hole through which Russians can advance in three, four directions.
"The situation is pretty bad, but it's not clear what reserves Ukrainian forces will find and how Russian forces can break through minefields under constant drone attacks," he said.
Mikhail Zhyrokhov, a Ukraine-based military analyst, told Radio NV: "This is a breakthrough not of tactical but of strategic level. And that's why Russians will only strengthen their pressure.
"The situation around Ocheretyne is very difficult and tends to only get worse. Because such an advance gives Russians huge advantages on the flanks. That's why holding other towns, another line of defence will be very hard."