Intrigue and turmoil: Ukraine's critical moment in Vuhledar

"I would like to thank Bezugla. This irresponsible behavior disrupted the brigade rotation, leading to very serious consequences and the actual loss of many positions. Such people should be brought to court and sentenced to 100 years in prison," wrote Goworit Snajper, a popular Ukrainian war blogger with 266,000 subscribers, on his Telegram account. He noted that he writes on behalf of soldiers fighting in Vuhledar.

The harsh words are directed at 36-year-old politician Maryana Bezugla, who was a member of the National Security and Defense Committee in the Ukrainian parliament until September 17. She publicized military secrets known to her to highlight the mistakes of Chief Commander Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky, according to Ukrainian media reports.

At the end of August, Bezugla wrote on Facebook that the command planned to replace the 72nd brigade, "most familiar with the front near Vuhledar," with freshly recruited, inexperienced soldiers.

She warned that the front was on the verge of collapsing, there were no fortification lines in the region to stop the Russians, and that new soldiers typically fled due to their lack of experience. In subsequent posts, she suggested that President Zelensky was being misled by his commanders.

The alarmist posts by Bezugla had dire consequences. Ukrainian analysts, including those from the Deep State service, reported that the command decided against rotating the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade at the front.

According to unofficial reports, the unit commander was to be dismissed. Since these soldiers had been fighting for a long time without rest or force recovery, they were said to start yielding to the Russian attack, explained Ukrainian military analysts cited by the Unian news agency. Such a situation threatens the annihilation of this legendary unit, which became famous for defending Kyiv in the early days of the war.

In subsequent posts, Maryana Bezugla warned: "There is a separation between the military command in Kyiv and the front. Here, they are not ready to give Donetsk to the Russians; there, they do not know the reality," she wrote in one of her latest posts.

The politician is particularly critical of the "Kursk operation," which she considers a waste of resources. "Mr. President, you are being misled. Remove them, pull the Armed Forces of Ukraine out of their bloody hands! Mr. President, save the Armed Forces of Ukraine, save us and give us hope," she appealed.

The Ukrainian Unian news agency reported that Bezugla was removed from the National Security and Defense Committee.

It was suggested that the reason for this parliamentary vote was the politician's use of confidential information to criticize commanders fighting on the front. Previously, Bezugla caused a sensation by stating that a Ukrainian F-16 plane was destroyed during a combat mission.

"Despite heavy attacks and difficult circumstances, we are on-site," said a soldier of the 72nd brigade in a report from Vuhledar on September 26. He showed that the city remains under Ukrainian control, refuting reports from some analysts that one of the Russian attacks on Vuhledar had succeeded.

Meanwhile, on the night of Thursday to Friday, the Russians used incendiary ammunition in an attack on Ukrainian positions in Vuhledar, according to reports on Ukrainian Telegram channels. It is likely that phosphorus ammunition, which burns at over 1500°F, was used. The recording shows a large part of the city engulfed in flames.

"The situation of the Ukrainian units at the front in the Pokrovsk and Vuhledar region is very difficult. Reports of political conflicts negatively affect the soldiers' morale and tarnish the Ukrainian army's image among allies," commented Jan Piekło, former Polish ambassador to Kyiv, in an interview with Wirtualna Polska. "However, I would not draw too far-reaching conclusions here. A brutal war is ongoing, and ultimately the soldiers are responsible for effectively carrying out planned operations," he adds.

"The most important issue, parallel to dramatic events on the front, is the matter of allowing Ukraine to carry out strikes on Russian territory using missiles and systems provided by Western partners. If such approval were granted, as President Volodymyr Zelensky is seeking, Ukrainians would demonstrate much greater effectiveness in their operations," comments the former diplomat.

To garner support, the President of Ukraine visited the USA, attending the United Nations summit and meeting with presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Zelensky began his visit by touring a munitions factory in Scranton, Pennsylvania, an electorally significant state which produces 155 mm shells.

Zelensky's victory plan, which aims to force Moscow to end the war without any concessions from Kyiv, continues to raise many questions, particularly regarding its feasibility. As reported by "The Wall Street Journal," the plan did not impress the Joe Biden administration. American journalists suggest that diplomats received it more as a request for additional weapons rather than a comprehensive victory strategy.

Officially, Biden expressed gratitude for presenting the plan in a war with Russia that has lasted almost three years. The American president also noted the importance of "strengthening Ukraine's position on the battlefield" by providing all necessary military assistance.

Recently, Zelensky met with Vice President Kamala Harris, who assured him of "unwavering" support for Ukraine's defense. Harris warned that a victory for Putin could increase his threat to NATO countries such as Poland and the Baltic States.

Donald Trump was also among the politicians Zelensky met. After their meeting, the US presidential candidate expressed hope for a fair end to the conflict in Ukraine. "We want it to end, and we want a fair solution. And I think it will happen in due course," he said.

"We have very good relations. I also have very good relations with President Putin," Trump said at one point. At the same time, he stressed that if he wins the elections, the conflict will be quickly resolved. "I hope that our relations will be better," Zelensky responded, expressing hope for stronger relations with the USA than with Russia.