

I see. My bad. That is inconvenient indeed. My guess is that they want to promote paperless alternatives (commuter cards, digital commuter cards, credit cards where usable). More and more stations allow you to use your credit card as a commuter card, so you would neither need an IC card nor a paper ticket. They upgraded the gate where I lived in 2024. Give it a few years.
https://smakko-cashless.com/touch-payment-ride/
It would be nice to be able to buy paper tickets cashless, as well, though.

As far as I know, Ukraine is now taking more territory than it is losing. It is Ukraine that is now constantly creeping forward. Russia is losing occupied territory.