Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy heard reports from the military and the SBU on the situation at the front, including the Pokrovsk direction and Kupyansk. He announced an increase in the range and accuracy of Ukrainian strikes against Russia.
The Ukrainian Defense Forces are successfully eliminating Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups attempting to penetrate Pokrovsk. The Pokrovsk direction remains one of the hottest sectors of the front, where almost 40 combat engagements took place in the last day.
Militants in the Gaza Strip launched an attack on Israeli troops in the Rafah area, provoking airstrikes by the Israel Defense Forces. The US warned of a possible violation of the truce by Hamas.
Over the past week, the aggressor used more than 3270 attack drones, 1370 guided aerial bombs, and almost 50 missiles against Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasizes that Russia is hindering the peace process, and it can only be stopped by pressure.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin does not want to end the war in Ukraine, as he is confident of his victory and views the conflict as a "historic mission. " He believes he has the upper hand on the battlefield and is willing to ignore the destruction of the Russian economy.
A conflict arose in Dnipro between local residents and TCC military personnel who detained a man wanted for violating military registration rules. Passers-by joined the skirmish, trying to free the detainee by attacking law enforcement officers and military personnel.
On the night of October 19, Russian troops attacked Ukraine with 62 attack UAVs, about 40 of which were "Shaheds". Defense forces shot down/suppressed enemy drones in the north and east of the country, but 19 UAVs hit 7 locations.
On October 18, the Russian army lost 1,000 servicemen, a tank, and 45 artillery systems. The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 19.10.25 amount to 1,130,180 personnel eliminated.
In the Zaporizhzhia direction, Russian occupiers leave the wounded to die in their positions, not providing them with evacuation and medical assistance. The command prefers not to risk equipment rather than save soldiers.
ATESH agents carried out sabotage at a key communication hub in the Bryansk region, 100 km from the border with Ukraine. This disabled a tower that provided coordination for the occupation forces and border units, disrupting coordination and creating chaos in the control system.
Russian occupiers have made territorial gains near Novoivanivka, Torske, and in Pokrovsk. This became known after the combat map was updated by the DeepState monitoring project on October 18.
Since the beginning of October 18, 116 combat engagements have been recorded on the Russian-Ukrainian front. The most tense situation is in the Pokrovsk direction, where the Russian army attacked the positions of the Defense Forces 39 times.
Kyiv has significantly increased the amount of equipment for backup power supply, preparing 300 power sources with a total capacity of over 50 MW. Additionally, gas piston units for 100 MW are being installed, as well as 51 mobile boiler houses and 70 solar power plants in residential buildings.
Russian troops launched an airstrike on Lozova in Kharkiv region for the first time on October 18, using a new modification of a guided aerial bomb UMPB-5R. As a result of the attack, houses and outbuildings were damaged, and six people were injured.
President Zelenskyy, in an interview with NBC News, stated that Donald Trump did not refuse to supply Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. This gives hope for obtaining weapons that could change the course of the war.
US Vice President J. D. Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Israel next week to discuss the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreements. Witkoff will also discuss the return of hostage remains, while Israel accuses Hamas of using them as bargaining chips.
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.
