Armed Forces Units of Ukraine (VSU) are "ready to retreat" from the strategic city of Kurakhovo in the Donetsk region, but no official order to withdraw has yet been received, the British newspaper Financial Times reported, citing an artillery commander, as quoted by Focus.
According to the source, Russian troops are attacking the city from three directions, and military observers in Kiev claim that part of the Russian forces have already entered Kurakhovo.
The publication quoted the military analytical center CDS, according to which by December "the front line is likely to shift 30-35 kilometers west of its current positions".
To strengthen its defenses, Ukraine plans to mobilize another 160,000 troops between November and February. According to the *Financial Times*, however, these ambitions may be elusive. "Military experts and a senior official from Kiev expressed skepticism, believing that a realistic figure would be around 100,000 recruits, which would cover roughly half of the personnel shortfall," the article says.
Two VSU commanders report that they have already begun sending medics and cooks to the infantry to reinforce the ranks. "War sometimes requires sacrifices. I have already sent my cooks into the trenches," shared one of the commanders in front of the publication.