In the morning, Russian troops repeatedly attacked Shostka with six guided aerial bombs, causing a fire. The consequences of the attack are being clarified; there are no preliminary reports of casualties or injuries.
Ukraine has brought back 11 children aged 10 to 17 from temporarily occupied territories and Russia. Among them are five biological siblings who were taken to Russia and pressured by Russian guardianship authorities.
Syrian security forces have begun deploying in As-Suwayda province to protect the population and end the chaos. This comes after intercommunal violence that has led to the deaths of over 700 people.
In Dnipro on July 19, around 5 AM, an ambulance drove off the roadway and crashed into a pole. One medical worker died on the spot, and two others were injured.
Russia launched 344 drones and 35 missiles at Ukraine overnight, 185 drones and 23 missiles were shot down. 5 missiles and 30 attack drones hit 12 locations.
Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania will hold a trilateral ministerial meeting. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha discussed this with his Moldovan counterpart Mihai Popșoi, confirming partnership and coordination of efforts regarding the transit of Ukrainian citizens.
Another stage of the audit of criminal proceedings against businesses has been completed, resulting in the closure of 6,752 cases and 164 sent to court. Property was also returned in 211 cases, and 2,538 expert examinations were ordered for seized property.
As a result of Russia's night attack on Odesa, one person was killed and six were injured. At least eight residential buildings, a medical laboratory, and other objects were damaged.
President Zelenskyy reported on Russia's night attack with over 300 drones and 30 missiles on Ukraine. 10 regions were affected, there is one dead and injured, infrastructure was damaged.
The Shostka community in Sumy Oblast endured an almost four-hour night attack by Russian strike UAVs. As a result of the strike, civilian infrastructure facilities were destroyed and the residential sector was damaged; there were no casualties.
As of July 19, applicants have created almost 348,000 electronic accounts, more than half of which are applicants after 11th grade. More than 195,000 applications have already been submitted to institutions of professional pre-higher education.
Three volunteers in Veletenske, Kherson region, sustained mine-blast injuries and concussions after their car hit a Russian mine. The injured, aged 30, 32, and 57, are in mild condition and are receiving outpatient treatment.
The US House of Representatives voted to continue military support for Ukraine. The decision was approved by 353 votes to 76.
As of July 18, 2025, Ukraine has threshed 2355. 3 thousand hectares, harvesting 7225.8 thousand tons of early grain and leguminous crops. The leaders are Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kirovohrad regions.
Natural gas reserves in Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities exceeded 9 billion cubic meters on July 17, with a fill level of 29. 2%. To reach the target of 13 billion cubic meters by November 1, another 4 billion cubic meters need to be injected.
Gold prices rose 0. 4% to $3350.87 per ounce on Friday, while platinum reached its highest level since 2014. The US dollar weakened by 0.4%, and the EU approved the 18th package of sanctions against Russia.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported 78 combat engagements at the front as of 4:00 PM on July 18. The highest activity is observed in the Pokrovsk, Pivnichno-Slobozhansky, and Kursk directions, where up to two-thirds of the battles took place.
The first tickets for Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of "Odyssey," starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, went on sale a year before the film's release. Sales began at IMAX, where the film will be released on July 17, 2026, and thousands of tickets have already been sold, some of which are being resold by speculators.
The new meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense in the "Ramstein" format is scheduled for July 21. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will take part in the virtual meeting, where issues of supplying Patriot systems will be discussed.
The EU Council has approved the gradual launch of a new digital border management system (EES) over six months. The system will record the entries and exits of non-EU citizens, increasing control efficiency and reducing fraud.
Participants of the main sessions of the Unified Professional Entrance Exam (UPEE) and the Unified Entrance Exam (UEE) have received their results, which are available in their electronic accounts. The option to generate an examination card is already available for master's students, and for PhD students it will be available until August 8.
The EU Council approved the 18th package of sanctions against Russia, covering the energy, banking, and military sectors. The restrictions include lowering the oil price cap, banning transactions with "Nord Stream," and expanding the list of sanctioned individuals and companies.
Jaguar Land Rover is postponing the release of new Range Rover and Jaguar electric vehicles for additional testing and to await an increase in demand. Deliveries of the Range Rover Electric will not begin until next year at the earliest, and Jaguar models may also be delayed by several months.
Russian troops attacked a locomotive on the Prydniprovska railway twice in 24 hours, which was transporting civilian cargo. Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak called this planned terror against civilian logistics.
Repair works at the Ustyluh-Zosin checkpoint on the Ukrainian-Polish border, which began in May, have been extended until the end of December. This will lead to partial traffic restrictions, while the Volyn Customs notes a significant increase in traffic through this point.
The Presidents of Ukraine and France discussed Ukraine's defense needs, strengthening air defense, and training pilots for Mirages. France confirmed its readiness to accept additional pilots for training and is working on joint solutions for protection against Russian strikes.
Electricity consumption in Ukraine increased by 2. 5% due to cloudy weather and rains, which reduced the efficiency of solar power plants. 29 settlements in four regions are without power due to bad weather, and regional power grid brigades are working to restore it.
In Kherson Oblast, Russian military killed a 35-year-old man with a drone strike while he was riding a bicycle. Also, during the night, a fire department in Vysoky and the Central Market in Kherson were attacked.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the newly appointed Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Rustem Umerov to intensify negotiations, ensure the implementation of agreements on weapons, and strengthen the technological Staff. Umerov confirmed the work priorities, including coordination of the security sector, arms supplies, and technological modernization.
President Zelenskyy announced the preparation of the synchronization of European sanctions and new decisions regarding sanctions in Ukraine. This is a response to the 18th EU sanctions package, which increases pressure on the Russian tanker fleet and limits the price of oil.
