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 StrategyВисокий Замок — Vysoky Zamok (“High Castle”)Daily socio-political news outlet with a strong nationalistic voice“The Real Problem at the Front Is Not Kostiantynivka”By Oleksandr Kovalenko/July 26, 2026Oleksandr Kovalenko argues media attention is misdirected toward Kostiantynivka while the greater threat lies on the eastern flank of the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk bridgehead, where Russia’s comparatively weak 3rd Army has quietly advanced for a year. He claims false reporting masked the collapse, resulting in over 220 square kilometers lost and Seversk’s fall within three weeks. Russian forces have now reached Rai-Oleksandrivka, he says. Total territorial losses there exceed 400 square kilometers (more than in Kostiantynivka), yet the author says this critical front remains largely overlooked.“The question remains: how did the weakest army among Russia’s occupation forces manage to pull this off? Why are they advancing so freely, exploiting obvious terrain and landscape weaknesses that should have been turned into an insurmountable obstacle course long before now? And why is everyone fixated on the back-and-forth in Kostiantynivka, while the real danger zone is the eastern flank of the Sloviansk direction?”***Цензор.НЕТ — Cenzor.NETNews and opinion site with a strong pro-defense, typically conservative voice“How to Counter Guided Bombs?”By Yuriy Kasyanov/July 24, 2026Yuriy Kasyanov says Ukraine lacks effective defenses against Russian