The Cabinet of Ministers has allowed local authorities to fund air defense groups within volunteer formations. Communities will be able to pay rewards for shot-down aerial targets.
Entrepreneurs supplied the AFU with low-quality field rations worth 71 million UAH through document forgery. A former Ministry of Defense official is among the suspects.
The SBS and SBU conducted Operation Snow for Akhmat, destroying a pilot school in Snizhne. 65 cadets and the head of the center, Lieutenant Colonel Bury, were liquidated.
Units of the SOF and SBS struck the Syzran oil refinery in the Samara region. A large-scale fire was recorded at the facility, located 800 km from the border.
The SBU and Defense Forces are strengthening security in five northern regions of Ukraine. Document checks, vehicle inspections, and traffic restrictions are planned.
The head of the AntAC, Shabunin, was discharged from the army due to poor vision amid suspicions of evading service. "Honest Mobilization" stated this discredits the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
During the first 20 days of May 2026, the AFU struck over 10 Russian oil refining facilities. Operations were suspended at plants in Moscow, Ryazan, Tuapse and other cities.
In Brussels, Syrskyi briefed NATO on the situation at the front and the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Since the beginning of 2026, enemy losses have exceeded 141.5 thousand personnel.
AFU officers have developed a Military Leadership Manual to build combat-ready teams. The presentation will take place on May 20 at the Sens bookstore in Kyiv.
Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi revealed details of the AFU corps reform. The Third Corps is the only one fighting with all its subordinate brigades in a single sector.
Police investigate lawyer Kostiantyn Hloba's alleged use of a forged ID from a non-existent Territorial Defense unit.
The enemy launched 154 drones and a missile at Ukraine; air defense neutralized 131 targets. Hits were recorded in 20 locations, and debris falls in 6 districts.
A survey on foreign language proficiency has launched in the Army+ app. The data will assist in joint missions with foreigners and the creation of new training courses.
Syrskyi stated that the enemy's total losses are 3. 5 times greater than the Ukrainian ones. On certain days, the number of fallen occupiers exceeds the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by 7-9 times.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine have the conditions to train three shifts of military personnel to ensure rotations every two months. Syrskyi has introduced monthly monitoring of this process.
Syrskyi reported on the development of a mechanism for discharging military personnel based on their length of service. The initiative is currently being discussed directly within the units.
The head of the AntAC, Vitaliy Shabunin, has been discharged from the Armed Forces of Ukraine due to deteriorating vision. The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) is investigating proceedings regarding his possible draft evasion and fraud.
Accumulated funds under the program can be used until June 30, 2026. The maximum payout amount is 3,000 hryvnias per month.
The Defense Forces struck the Lukoil refinery in Kstovo and a station in the Yaroslavl region. The plant, with a capacity of 17 million tons, provides fuel for the Russian occupation forces.
Overnight, the enemy launched 209 drones, 180 of which were shot down or suppressed by air defense. 27 hits were recorded across 15 locations; the enemy attack is currently still ongoing.
Law enforcement officers have uncovered several schemes to evade mobilization in various regions of Ukraine. Commanders, in exchange for bribes, transferred military personnel to the rear or struck them off the military register.
The Unmanned Systems Forces are deploying FP-2 drones with unguided rockets to breach Russian air defenses. This technology enables the destruction of enemy communication hubs and electronic warfare (EW) systems.
Accumulated National Cashback funds must be spent by June 30, otherwise they will be returned to the budget. From July, the program will operate as usual.
In Khmelnytskyi region, a UAV attack caused fires at enterprises; 29 targets were downed. In Rivne region, there were no reports of destruction or casualties.
A Chinese merchant vessel survived a hostile "Shahed" attack at sea; there were no casualties.
On May 18, the victims of the genocide of the Crimean Tatar people are honored, and reservists of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are congratulated. Globally, Museum Day is observed and efforts to find an HIV vaccine are highlighted.
In the past 24 hours, the Defense Forces eliminated 1,220 occupiers and destroyed 1,603 drones. Total losses of the Russian army have already exceeded 1.35 million people.
Defense forces shot down about 300 enemy UAVs over the Sumy region in the past 24 hours. Russian troops targeted the region's civilian infrastructure.
Ukrainian forces attacked the Moscow region at a distance of over 500 kilometers. Zelenskyy declared the return of the war to the occupiers' home harbor.
The SBS hit a ship in the Caspian Sea, a Tor-M2 SAM system, and a communication hub in Crimea. Logistic infrastructure and occupation command posts were also destroyed.
