When the world's at stake,
go beyond the headlines.

Welcome to The Ukraine Compass, a weekly digest of Ukrainian commentary and analysis from across the political spectrum only for War on the Rocks members. Each Monday, we bring you a curated selection of articles from Ukrainian media offering insight into how Ukrainians themselves debate the issues shaping their country.American coverage often narrows the view to the battlefield — these pieces widen it, revealing the texture of daily life, politics, and public argument in a nation at war. The perspectives gathered here are varied, candid, and often surprising, together forming a more complete picture of Ukraine as it really is.Frontline and StrategyФокус— Fokus (“Focus”) National weekly magazine with a patriotic voice“List the Armed Forces of Ukraine: How the Audit from the New Head of the Ministry of Defense Should Change the Army” By Dmytro Snegiryov/ Feb. 17, 2026Military expert Dmytro Snegiryov supports Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov’s plan to audit the military but stresses it must be genuine, not populist in aim. With roughly 880,000 personnel and only about 300,000 in combat roles, questions remain about force balance. Modern armies require substantial rear support, yet some rear units he argues, could reinforce frontline troops. Snegiryov argues reform should ensure transparent staffing, fair rotations, and better use of mobilization reserves, including trained security-service pensioners, instead of coercive recruitment practices.“Each Territorial Recruitment Center includes a security company assigned to it. It is unclear why such protection is necessary in cities like Lviv or Ternopil. Altogether, these companies could provide enough personnel to form several combat brigades. This issue deserves serious discussion, particularly in terms of using mobilization reserves more rationally rather than relying on so-called busification. There are also serious concerns about how these units are staffed. In one case in Ivano-Frankivsk, local football players, coaches, and masseurs were formally listed as members of a security