President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russian tactics remain unchanged – killing civilians and terrorizing with cold. He reported on restoration efforts in Chernihiv and Sumy regions after attacks on energy infrastructure.
The occupiers want to legalize the port stolen from Ukraine in order to officially export Ukrainian grain, metal, and building materials abroad.
On October 21, cloudy weather with rain is forecast in Ukraine in the east. Night frosts down to -5°C are expected in the west, and daytime temperatures will reach +9…+15°C.
Russian troops advanced near Malynivka, Poltavka, and Kalynivske. This happened in Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, according to DeepState.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russians' position on Donbas has not changed: they demand that Ukraine cede the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Zelenskyy emphasized that the so-called "referendum" was illegal, and Russia's demands are far from reality.
On October 17, Donald Trump urged Volodymyr Zelenskyy to agree to Moscow's terms to end the war, citing Putin's threats to "destroy" Ukraine. Trump insisted on handing over control of Donbas and reiterated the Kremlin's arguments.
Donald Trump believes that Vladimir Putin will not stop the war without obtaining Ukrainian territories, claiming that he has already gained some land. Putin sees the war as his “historic mission” and may agree to return Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions in exchange for full control over Donetsk region.
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.
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.
US President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, pressured the Ukrainian delegation to cede the Donetsk region to the Russians, arguing that the population was Russian-speaking. This happened during a meeting on Friday, according to The Washington Post.
October 19, 2025, marked the 1334th day of the full-scale armed aggression. Over the past day, 223 combat engagements were recorded, the occupiers launched 1 missile and 84 air strikes, used 6343 kamikaze drones, and carried out 5114 shelling attacks.
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.
The Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, during a conversation with Donald Trump, made it clear that he could agree to return the occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions to Ukraine. As a condition for ending the war, he demands full control over the Donetsk region.
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."
The thirteenth safe underground school opened in Zaporizhzhia region, based at the Komyshuvakha Gymnasium "Dzherelo", which accommodates over 600 students. The institution is fully inclusive, equipped with a lift and Braille navigation.
On the night of Saturday, October 18, explosions were recorded in the Zaporizhzhia region. The head of the Zaporizhzhia OVA, Ivan Fedorov, urged citizens to remain in safe places until the all-clear.
On October 17, an active cyclone from the northwest will bring rains to most regions of Ukraine, with the exception of the southeastern regions. On Saturday, October 18, a drop in temperature is expected in the west and rains in Kyiv.
DTEK announced the cancellation of emergency blackouts in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast. Earlier, Ukrenergo introduced emergency shutdowns in 12 regions due to the difficult situation in the energy system.
Due to the difficult situation in the energy system and high electricity consumption, emergency power outages have been introduced in Kyiv and 12 regions. Ukrenergo urges Ukrainians not to switch on several powerful electrical appliances at the same time.
Ivan Zuyev, a war correspondent for the propaganda outlet "RIA Novosti", was killed in the Zaporizhzhia region. He allegedly died as a result of a Ukrainian drone strike while performing a "journalistic assignment."
Emergency power outages have been canceled in Kyiv, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, Poltava, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions. This happened by order of NPC "Ukrenergo" on October 16.
Due to enemy night attacks on energy facilities, emergency power outages are in effect in 10 regions of Ukraine and Kyiv, and another region is on schedule. Ukrenergo urges not to turn on several powerful electrical appliances simultaneously due to high consumption.
As a result of Russian night drone attacks on energy facilities, consumers in several regions, including Dnipropetrovsk, were left without power. Morning emergency power outages in six regions have been canceled, and restoration work is underway.
Emergency power outages have expanded to additional regions, now totaling at least six. Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia regions are already implementing emergency shutdown schedules as instructed by Ukrenergo.
In the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia region, raiders seized the agricultural enterprise "Voynikov and Co. " The property was declared "ownerless" and transferred to a shell company; armed individuals are blocking combines and removing the harvest.
Emergency power outages have been introduced in Sumy, Kharkiv, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, and partially in Kirovohrad, Kyiv, and Cherkasy regions. In Zaporizhzhia region, only industrial consumers have been cut off, while hourly outages are in effect in Chernihiv region.
Russia again attacked the energy infrastructure of Chernihiv and Donetsk regions. Due to this, emergency power outages were applied in 7 regions in the morning, and hourly schedules are in effect in another one.
Two civilians died as a result of a Russian drone attack on a civilian car in the village of Preobrazhenka, Zaporizhzhia region. A 53-year-old man and his 50-year-old wife died from their injuries.
On the evening of October 12, the enemy attacked the Polohy district of Zaporizhzhia region. A 32-year-old man was killed in a drone attack on a car.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported noticeable progress of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk directions. Ukrainian units advanced more than three kilometers in the area of Orikhiv and Dobropillia.