The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported 74 combat engagements at the front as of 4:00 p. m. on October 18, 2025. In the Pokrovsk direction, the Defense Forces repelled 31 enemy attempts to break through.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, stated that a meeting between Trump and Putin in Budapest could be the beginning of the end of the Kremlin leader's illusions about an empire. This will happen if the Russian dictator recognizes reality after Trump's negotiations with Zelenskyy.
The Cabinet of Ministers adopted decisions on the protection of critical infrastructure, including the creation of the Coordination Center for Engineering Protection. The government allocated funds from the reserve fund for the protection and restoration of infrastructure in frontline regions and Ukrzaliznytsia.
Military ombudsman Olha Reshetylova coordinated the return of a veteran of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a National Guardsman from captivity in Luhansk region. The National Guardsman was considered missing for over three years while being held in slavery.
Parliamentarians have submitted proposals for the 2026 State Budget, which include salary increases for military personnel and teachers, as well as funds for demining and the reconstruction of a hospital in the Kharkiv region. Draft resolution No. 14000/P has appeared on the parliament's website.
Ukrainian energy workers are once again restoring power lines that supply the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. This is the 42nd time since the beginning of the full-scale invasion that specialists have repaired damaged lines.
The Ministry of Defense has launched the possibility of obtaining a deferral for parents of children with disabilities in the "Reserve+" application. The system automatically checks the data in the registers, and the user receives the result on their smartphone.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi announced the start of repairs to damaged power lines to the ZNPP after the establishment of ceasefire zones. Restoration of electricity supply is critical for nuclear safety.
The plane of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will have to bypass most of the European Union countries to arrive in Hungary for a meeting with US President Donald Trump. The route can reach up to 5 thousand km, increasing the flight time by 3 hours.
Last night, 4 UAVs attacked an electrical substation in Veshkaima, Ulyanovsk region of Russia, causing two explosions and a fire. Local residents were left without electricity, but power supply was restored by morning.
As a result of a drone attack in Poltava, a fire broke out in the finished product warehouse of a civilian enterprise, covering 1,500 square meters. Rescuers extinguished the blaze; there is no information about casualties.
Overnight, Russia attacked Ukraine with three S-300 missiles and 164 attack UAVs of various types. Air defense forces neutralized 136 drones, with 27 drone hits recorded.
European leaders, including Finnish President Alexander Stubb and European Council President António Costa, expressed full support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his conversation with Donald Trump. They reaffirmed military, financial, and diplomatic assistance, as well as security guarantees for Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump discussed ways to end the war, the transfer of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, and the participation of American companies in restoring energy infrastructure. Trump refrained from taking a clear stance on territorial concessions and does not plan to supply Tomahawks.
US President Donald Trump called on Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin to immediately stop the war on the front line, wherever it may be. He emphasized that otherwise, the situation would become too difficult to resolve.
US President Donald Trump told Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he would not supply Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, as diplomacy is the priority. The meeting took place in a tense atmosphere, with Trump being tough.
On the night of October 18, Russia attacked one of Zaporizhzhia's educational institutions with drones, causing a fire in the three-story building. The fire has been extinguished, and there are no casualties.
Ukraine will receive the first financial proceeds from Japan from the revenues of frozen Russian assets in early 2026. This is part of the G7 countries' ERA mechanism worth $50 billion, which will go to finance the state budget expenditures.
The Kremlin is launching a program to colonize the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, replacing the local population with Russians from the deep regions of the Russian Federation. This is a legalization of population replacement and Russification, displacing locals and settling "new Russians."
After meeting with Donald Trump in Washington, Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about the American leader's words regarding his relationship with the Russian leader. Trump stated that Putin hates Zelenskyy, and the Ukrainian president replied that he has the same attitude towards Putin.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he discussed air defense systems with American leader Donald Trump. This issue is very important for Ukraine due to constant drone attacks.
111 combat engagements took place at the front, the occupiers used 3,292 kamikaze drones and carried out 3,834 shellings. Russian troops launched 78 air strikes and dropped 154 guided aerial bombs.
Ukrainian military in Luhansk region conducted a complex special operation, freeing a veteran of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a National Guardsman. Both had been held captive and enslaved in the temporarily occupied territory for over three years.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during his visit to the White House, stated that the most important thing for Ukraine is reliable security guarantees. He emphasized that NATO is the best defense option, and weapons and allies are also important.
The open part of the meeting between the presidents of the United States and Ukraine has concluded. The leaders moved to closed-door negotiations, where they will discuss military support, peaceful settlement, and bilateral relations.
US First Lady Melania Trump is concerned about the impact of Russia's war in Ukraine on children and continues to work on reuniting them with their parents.
Donald Trump stated that strikes by Ukrainian forces deep inside Russian territory would mean an escalation of the conflict. He also called the transfer of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine a "fair question."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy intends to propose to his American counterpart Donald Trump to store US liquefied natural gas in Ukrainian gas storage facilities. This will allow America to be present on the European energy market.
Agents of the ATESH movement report a mass escape of Russian servicemen from the Kherson direction. The command of the Dnipro group of troops has deployed reinforced checkpoints and patrols in the Armiansk area to search for deserters.
In Ternopil region, men in a Mercedes caused an emergency situation on the road, cutting off a TCC car and taking a conscript from it.
