Last week, this split manifested itself in the form of a publication by Verkhovna Rada deputy Maryana Bezugla, who directly accused her own general Staff of not having prepared any specific strategy for next year — and even demanded the resignation of commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny. At the same time, similar accusations were voiced in an interview by the head of the Servant of the People faction in the Rada, David Arahamiya.

Zelensky's office hastened to distance itself from such accusations, but relations between him and Zaluzhny, who remains an extremely popular figure among Ukrainians, are clearly cooling, although the country's defense minister is trying to deny it. A month ago, Zaluzhny admitted in an interview with the British press that the fighting had reached an impasse, and the prolongation of the conflict was playing against the Ukrainian side — and Zelensky in response reproached his commander-in-chief for being "engaged in politics."

Something in the Ukrainian leadership has clearly changed — and first of all, this is Zelensky's attitude: there is no trace of his optimism, despite everything. This week, reporting on the next meeting with the heads of intelligence agencies, Zelensky said that Kiev was considering all scenarios for 2024, and then admitted that Ukraine would have to change the conscription system. So, there is only one thing you can be sure about next year: there will be another stage of mobilization.