Russia’s war on Ukraine. 18.01.26
Operational situation
On the Northern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces attempted to advance southeast of Sadky and east of Myropillya, and attacked near Komarivka, Andriivka, Oleksiivka, Yablunivka, Plekhovo, toward Nova Sich.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Varachyne.
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces attempted to advance near Vovchanski Khutory, near Vilcha, southwest of Lyman, and south of Ambarne, and attacked near Lyptsi, Vovchansk, Starytsia, Prylipka, Hrafske, Symynivka, Dekhtyarnе, Milove, Khatnie, toward Kruhle and Chuhunivka, and struck a bridge across the Vovcha River near Varvarivka.
On the Kupyansk Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced north of Kupyansk, counterattacked near Kindrashivka and Radkivka, and hold positions in Novoplatonivka.
Russian forces attacked in Kupyansk, near Dvorichna and Krasne Pershe, toward Petropavlivka, Podoly, Kucherivka, Pishchane, Kurylivka, Novoserhiyivka, and near Novovodyane.
On the Sloviansk Direction, enemy infiltration groups raised flags on the western outskirts of Zakitne. Russian forces attacked near Lyman, Stavky, Svyatohirsk, Sosnove, Yarova, Kolodyazi, Zarichne, Drobysheve, Myrne, Dibrova, Ozerne, Dronivka, Platonivka, Riznykivka, and Nykyforivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked from Brusivka.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces struck southwest of Illinivka.
Russian forces fought for Pryvillya and attacked near and inside Kostyantynivka, near Minkivka, Markove, Mayske, toward Holubivka, near Oleksandro-Shultyne, Pleshchiivka, Ivanopillya, Illinivka, Berestok, Shcherbynivka, Yablunivka, Stepanivka, Rusyn Yar, and Sofiivka.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced southwest of Dorizhne, where they consolidated and hold positions, advanced northwest of Svitle, counterattacked near Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, and operate in Myrnohrad and its outskirts.
Russian forces attacked near Shakhove and Zaporizhzhia, near and inside Pokrovsk, near Hryshyne, Rodynske, Bilytske, Sukhetske, Myrnohrad, Rivne, Kotlyne, Udachne, and Molodetske.
On the Oleksandrivka Direction, Russian forces attacked near Novopavlivka, Filiya, Zelenyi Hai, Krasnohirskе, Vyshneve, Stepove, and Oleksiivka.
On the Huliaypole Direction, the 394th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 127th Motorized Rifle Division of the 5th Combined Arms Army fought in the area of Pryluky. Russian forces attempted to advance west of Pryluky and Varvarivka, north of Svyatopetrivka, near Kosivtseve, and attacked near and within Huliaypole, near Bratske and Olenokostyantynivka, toward Ternuvate, near Andriivka, Zelene, Zlahoda, Solodke, Dorozhnyanka, toward Krynychne, Zalizne, and Staroukrainka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Huliaypole, Bratske, Ternuvate, Andriivka, Krynychne, Zaliznychne, and Staroukrainka.
On the Orikhiv Direction, Russian forces attacked near Myrne, toward Huliaypilske, near Lukyanivske, toward Richne, Veselyanka, Magdalynivka, Novoyakovlivka, Pavlivka, Novoboykivske, Stepnohirsk, Prymorske, and Shcherbaky.
Enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups operate near Kozatske and Vesele.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed by airstrike a Nebo-U radar station near Yevpatoria in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, a UAV warehouse near Donetsk, and the Azov power plant in the Kalmius District of Mariupol.
General conclusion:
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces increase activity near Lyptsi.
On the Sloviansk Direction, Russian forces continue to concentrate reserves near Dronivka. The enemy attempts to cross the Siverskyi Donets River using rubber boats near Dronivka and Platonivka. Russian military command focuses on the capture of dominant heights between Zakitne and Kryva Luka, which will allow the enemy to regularly shell Sloviansk, Lyman, and Mykolaivka. The occupiers attempt to advance through fields and forest belts toward Lyman, using camouflage and supported by UAVs and artillery.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, Russian forces attempt to bypass Kostyantynivka, cut the logistics of Ukrainian Defense Forces, and isolate the city to prepare for a subsequent assault, and attempt to exploit foggy and windy weather conditions to assault and infiltrate the city in small groups.
Change in the line of contact (LoC), directions of attacks and counterattacks:
There were 133 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, 8 attacks were stopped in the areas of Vovchanski Khutory, Vovchansk, Prylipka, and toward Kruhle and Chuhunivka.
On the Kupyansk Direction, 6 enemy attacks occurred, and assault actions toward Petropavlivka and Kurylivka were repelled.
On the Sloviansk Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 8 enemy attacks in the area of Sviato-Pokrovske and Myrne, and toward Novoserhiyivka, Stavky, Drobysheve, and Lyman.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, the enemy conducted 15 attacks near Oleksandro-Shultyne, Shcherbynivka, Pleshchiivka, Rusyn Yar, and toward Ivanopillya, Torske, Illinivka, and Sofiivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 45 enemy assault actions were stopped in the areas of Nykanorivka, Rodynske, Sukhetske, Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, Rivne, Kotlyne, Udachne, and Molodetske, and toward Novopavlivka and Filiya.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy conducted 6 attacks in the areas of Vyshneve, Zlahoda, Zelenyi Hai, and Sosnivka.
On the Huliaypole Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 22 Russian attacks in the areas of Solodke, Huliaypole, Dorozhnyanka, and toward Dobropillya, Varvarivka, and Zelene.
On the Orikhiv Direction, a combat engagement occurred in the area of Prymorske.
On the Prydniprovske Direction, the occupiers carried out an unsuccessful attempt to advance in the area of the Antonivskyi Bridge.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 7th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Combined Arms Army operates near Siversk.
The 1442nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 6th Motorized Rifle Division of the 3rd Army Corps strikes Ukrainian forces in the center of Kostyantynivka, elements of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army operate east of Stupochky, the 238th Artillery Brigade of the army operates near Mykolaypillya, and the 33rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division operates near Toretske.
The 39th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 68th Army Corps strikes Ukrainian forces on the northern outskirts of Bilytske.
Units of the 77th Separate Counter-UAV Regiment of the Eastern Military District operate near Novoivanivka.
Assault groups of the 38th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 35th Combined Arms Army operate southwest of Huliaypole.
The 331st Airborne Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division and the 33rd BARS Detachment operate in Kherson Oblast.
Possible operation situation developments:
On the Southern Slobozhanske Direction, the enemy will continue its attempts to capture Vovchansk with the forces of a tactical grouping (elements of the 6th Combined Arms Army, the 11th and the 44th Army Corps). These actions will slow the enemy’s advance along the eastern bank of the Siverskyi Donets to Bilyi Kolodyaz, Verkhnya Pysarivka and Buhayivka.
On the Kupyansk Direction, the enemy’s “Sever (North)” Operational Grouping will concentrate its efforts on seizing the eastern part of Kupyansk, attacking from the north, will attempt to push the Ukrainian Defense Forces’ 16th Army Corps south of the Kucherivka–Petropavlivka line, advancing toward Petropavlivka along the road from Vilshana and attacking the northeastern part of the city from the direction of Lyman Pershyi.
On the Sloviansk Direction, the enemy’s 20th Combined Arms Army will attempt to seize the Yarova–Novoselivka–Drobysheve–Pryshyb area and block the Lyman–Izium logistics route along the northern bank of the Siverskyi Donets River. Troops of the 20th and 25th Combined Arms Armies will advance north and east of Lyman with the aim of isolating the defense area of the 3rd Army Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces around the city from the north and northwest in order to reach the Siverskyi Donets River south of the city in the Raihorodok–Zakytne sector. By maintaining a bridgehead on the Siverskyi Donets River, the 3rd Army Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces will make it much more difficult for the enemy to conduct offensive actions towards Sloviansk from this direction. The 3rd Combined Arms Army will attempt to break through from the Dronivka–Siversk line to the Zakytne–Riznykivka–Kalenyky–Kryva Luka area, which will facilitate an offensive on Lyman by the troops of the 25th Combined Arms Army. Ukrainian Defense Forces will seek opportunities to slow the enemy’s advance along the southern bank of the Siverskyi Donets in the direction of Raihorodok and Sloviansk
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, the enemy command will attempt to conduct a deep envelopment of Kostyantynivka from the north, east, and southeast and to break through from the southwest to the near approaches to Druzhkivka, that is, to enter the deep rear of the 19th Army Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces defending in Kostyantynivka and to its south and southwest. Enemy troops will advance in the general direction of Volodymyrivka – Rayske to reach the near approaches to Druzhkivka and will attempt to break through from the east and northeast to the Bilokuzmynivka – Virolyubivka – Izhevka – Kurtivka area. Simultaneously, the enemy will conduct a frontal offensive within the defense zone of the 12th “Azov” Separate SOF Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine. The troops of the enemy’s 3rd Army Corps will advance to the Novodmytrivka – Chervone line, collapsing the defense of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the 11th Army Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces in Chasiv Yar by an offensive from the south. The aggressor will attack along both banks of the Kazennyi Torets River in the Sofiivka area, attempt to seize the village, and advance toward Novopavlivka and Torske. In the offensive zone of the 8th Combined Arms Army, the enemy will advance in the general direction of Volodymyrivka – Sofiivka.
The Pokrovsk–Myrnohrad defense area of the 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of the Air Assault Forces of Ukrainian Defense Forces will be seized by the enemy by the end of January 2026. By capturing Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, the enemy gains the chance to launch an offensive toward Dobropillya and potentially break through rapidly, with the 2nd Combined Arms Army advancing from Pokrovsk and the 51st Combined Arms Army moving from the bridgehead on the Kazennyi Torets River. The command of the enemy “Tsentr (Center)” Operational Grouping will not be able to bypass/envelop the defense area of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the flanks, as the Defense Forces firmly hold the Vilne – Novyi Donbas line, leaving only a frontal offensive on Dobropillya, which will entail enormous losses.
On the Oleksandrivka and Huliaypole Directions, the enemy’s “Vostok (East)” Operational Grouping will advance on the widest possible front, attempting to maximally stretch the forces of Ukrainian Defense Forces and their reserves, and through active offensive actions by the 36th Combined Arms Army ensure, on the main strike direction toward Huliaypole, a maximum concentration of its own forces and assets in the zone of the 5th Combined Arms Army
The enemy will attempt to develop the offensive of the 5th Combined Arms Army in the general direction of Varvarivka–Verkhnya Tersa–Omelnyk. Considering that in the offensive zone of the 58th Combined Arms Army the enemy will advance northward along the Dnipro, has already reached the delta of the Konka River in the Prymorske area and has bypassed Stepnohirsk from the west and east, it will attempt to reach the defense line of the 17th Army Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces along the Konka River on the Malokaterynivka–Komyshuvakha sector. The aggressor will attempt to cut the logistics of the 17th Army Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces in Orikhiv and, with the troops of the 5th Combined Arms Army, the main forces of the 76th Air Assault Division and the 35th Combined Arms Army, break through to the near approaches to the city from the northeast, from the area north of Huliaypole, after which it will assault Orikhiv. The success of this plan directly depends on the ability of Ukrainian Defense Forces to stabilize the situation in Huliaypole.
On the Prydniprovske direction, the command of the enemy’s “Dnepr” Operational Grouping will continue trying to take control of most of the island zone in the Dnipro delta in the direction of Kherson, will try to create a tactical bridgehead on the right bank, and to eliminate the tactical bridgeheads of the 30th Marine Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces in the area of the automobile and railway bridges near Antonivka.
Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 18.01.26
Personnel - almost 1,226 420 (+830);
Tanks – 11,571 (+5);
Armored combat vehicles ‒ 23,919 (+5);
Artillery systems – 36,294 (+33);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,616 (+1);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,278 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 74,706 (+105);
Aircraft - 434 (0);
Helicopters – 347 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 109,450 (+845);
Intercepted cruise and other missiles – 4,163 (0);
Boats/ships – 30 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
On the night of 18 January, the enemy attacked Ukraine with 201 UAVs, of which the Air Force shot down or suppressed 167. Thirty impacts were recorded at 15 locations, as well as the fall of debris at two locations. As of the morning, the attack is ongoing, and several enemy UAVs remain in the airspace.
On the night of 18 January, Russian forces attacked the south of Odesa Oblast with strike UAVs, hitting an energy infrastructure facility. According to the Oblast Military Administration and the State Emergency Service, the impact caused a fire, and a production building, property, and a vehicle were damaged.
On the night of 18 January, Russian forces shelled the Synelnykove district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, injuring six people. According to the Oblast Military Administration, several fires broke out, and three private houses, an outbuilding, a fire and rescue unit building, and a vehicle were damaged.
On the night of 18 January, as a result of a Russian strike on a facility in the Khmelnytskyi district, a fire broke out at an enterprise and several ignitions occurred. According to the Oblast Military Administration and the State Emergency Service, explosions were heard at around 5 a.m.; no information on casualties was reported.
As a result of a strike by Russian occupiers on Zaporizhzhia district on 18 January, as of 01:11 the city of Vilniansk was completely de-energized, leaving more than 15,000 subscribers without electricity. A fire broke out at the impact site, and critical infrastructure facilities, including boiler houses and water supply systems, were switched to backup power from generators. At the time of reporting, the air raid alert in the Oblast had lasted more than nine hours due to a continuous attack by enemy UAVs.
As a result of a strike by a Russian Shahed-type UAV on a private house in the Kholodnohirskyi district of Kharkiv, a 20-year-old woman was killed and two more people were injured.
In the evening of 18 January, Russian forces attacked an important energy facility in the Koryukivka district of Chernihiv Oblast, leaving a number of settlements without electricity.
Throughout 18 January, Russian forces attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast more than 20 times with artillery and UAVs, as a result of which a 43-year-old woman was hospitalized in the Pokrovske community in moderate condition. According to the Oblast Military Administration, private houses, an outbuilding, a garage, infrastructure facilities, and a power line were damaged in the Nikopol, Synelnykove, Dnipro, and Kryvyi Rih districts.
In Kherson, police recorded cases of remote mining of the city territory by the Russian army. Anti-personnel mines were found on Mykolaiv Highway near the hospital of the Oblast Blood Service Center.
In Kyiv, 143 residential buildings remain without heat supply, 30 of them due to Russian attacks and 100 due to local accidents in the heat supply system.
Russia continues to systematically remove grain crops grown in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, selling them on foreign markets under the guise of its own exports. According to the results of 2025, the volume of removed agricultural products exceeded 2 million tons, the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine reported.
Repair work has begun on the 330 kV Ferosplavna-1 backup power line connecting the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant with Ukraine’s energy system. According to the IAEA, the repairs are being carried out by a Ukrainian team under the supervision of the agency’s experts within the framework of a ceasefire reached through IAEA mediation.