Mass destruction of green spaces is taking place in Simferopol. The felled trees are being used as building materials and fuel for the needs of the Russian army at the front, as well as for clearing sites for commercial facilities.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the destruction of a number of enemy targets in the temporarily occupied territories, including the 55Zh6 "Nebo-U" radar in Crimea and a fuel and lubricants depot in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. A UAV depot in Makiivka was also hit, and two S-400 air defense system launchers in Belgorod Oblast were destroyed.
An anticyclone will determine the weather in Ukraine on December 18, it will be dry and sometimes windy. From December 26, a cold snap with night frosts down to -5...-11 degrees is expected.
On the night of December 18, SBU drones attacked the Belbek military airfield in Crimea. Two "Nebo-SVU" complexes, a 92N6 radar, a "Pantsir-S2" air defense system, and a MiG-31 aircraft were hit.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stopped the payment of state scholarships to Serhiy Bubka and Yana Klochkova, according to decree No. 967 of December 17. Other Olympic champions and medalists have also been deprived of scholarships.
The Russian dictator confirmed his intention to seize territories that he considers "historical lands of Russia. " This primarily refers to the south and east of Ukraine.
In temporarily occupied Crimea, discontent is growing due to benefits for participants of the "SVO" and their families. Local residents are recording widespread irritation over special privileges against the backdrop of deteriorating social services.
Russia launched a night attack on Ukraine with 69 drones, including Shahed and Gerbera. Ukrainian air defense shot down or suppressed 37 enemy UAVs, but 29 attack drones hit 12 locations in the north, south, and east of the country.
The Kyiv Court of Appeal upheld the verdict against ex-president Yanukovych, sentenced to 15 years for organizing illegal border crossing and inciting desertion. His accomplice, the former deputy head of the State Protection Department, received 10 years in prison.
The occupation authorities of Crimea announced the "nationalization" of the property of 84 Ukrainians, accusing them of "cooperation with Kyiv" and supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The list includes world boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk, as well as politicians, entrepreneurs, and military personnel.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that Russia will not make concessions regarding the occupied territories of Ukraine, considering them part of its constitution. Moscow will also not agree to the presence of NATO troops in Ukraine in any format.
Overnight, Russia attacked Ukraine with 69 Shahed-type, Gerbera, and other attack UAVs. Air defense forces shot down/suppressed 57 enemy UAVs; hits by 10 attack UAVs were recorded at 7 locations.
On December 16, cloudy weather with clearings is expected in Ukraine, with no significant precipitation. Daytime temperatures will be 1-6°C, and up to 9°C in Zakarpattia, Odesa region, and Crimea.
On December 14, a drone hit a warship in occupied Feodosia, causing a fire. The consequences of the strike and the extent of the damage remain unknown.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin refuses a unilateral withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk region. This comes against the backdrop of a 28-point US plan that envisages Ukraine's renunciation of NATO and new elections.
A KIIS poll showed that 72% of Ukrainians are ready for peace with a frozen front and security guarantees. Most Ukrainians reject the Russian peace plan and are ready to endure the war for as long as necessary.
Representatives of the Trump administration held five-hour talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin, which were described as "difficult. " The US is increasing pressure on Ukraine to conclude a peace agreement with Russia by the end of the year, but the parties have significant disagreements.
On the night of December 15, Russia attacked Ukraine with 153 attack UAVs, including about 90 "Shaheds". 133 were neutralized, but hits were recorded in 10 locations.
On Monday, December 15, a warming trend is expected in Ukraine, with temperatures reaching up to +6°C, and precipitation in the form of rain and wet snow in the central, eastern, northern regions, and Crimea. In Kyiv, the temperature will rise to +2…4°C with possible light precipitation.
The special unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine conducted a successful operation in temporarily occupied Crimea and managed to neutralize important Russian radar systems.
The Defense Forces of Ukraine attacked the Afipsky oil refinery, an oil depot in Uryupinsk, and military facilities of the Russian Federation. Electronic warfare stations, control points, air defense systems, and a UAV laboratory were hit.
On the night of December 14, Ukrainian air defense forces neutralized 110 out of 138 drones with which the Russians attacked the country. A missile hit and 10 attack UAVs were recorded at 6 locations.
Explosions were heard in Feodosia and the area of Cape Fiolent in occupied Crimea. The occupation authorities have not yet commented on this information.
On the night of December 13, Russia attacked Ukraine with 30 missiles and 465 drones, of which 13 missiles and 417 drones were shot down or suppressed. The main direction of the attack was Odesa region.
European officials are concerned that a new US-initiated peace deal in Ukraine could allow Russia to use a demilitarized zone to re-invade Donbas. Moscow demands the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops, while Kyiv refuses to cede territory.
The special unit of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine "Ghosts" on December 10-11, 2025, hit an An-26 military transport aircraft in the occupied Crimea. Two radar systems were also destroyed: the 55Zh6M "Nebo-M" radar and the 64N6E radar.
On the night of December 12, Russia attacked Ukraine with 80 Shahed and Gerbera-type attack UAVs. Ukrainian air defense forces shot down or suppressed 64 enemy drones in the north, south, and east of the country.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is considering holding a referendum on transferring Donbas to Russia. This comes amid growing pressure from the United States to agree to the terms of a new peace plan that would involve a 20% reduction in Ukraine's territory.
Prosecutors in Chernihiv region transferred over 100 tons of corrugated metal sheets from an enterprise controlled by residents of the Russian Federation and Belarus to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The management attempted to conceal and illegally export the products to avoid confiscation.
Poland's Internal Security Agency has detained Russian citizen Oleksandr B. , who is wanted by Ukraine for illegal archaeological excavations in the occupied territories between 2014 and 2019. The damages are estimated at over 200 million hryvnias, and an extradition request is expected.