Russia – Ukraine war updates latest from the General Staff of Ukraine as of August 18, 2026.
This report is part of EMPR’s August 2026 Russia – Ukraine war timeline, tracking daily battlefield and geopolitical developments. For full coverage of this escalation phase, see the complete timeline.
The 1,637th day of Russia’s full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine has begun.
Operational Update as of 08:00 AM on Russian invasion of Ukraine
Over the past day, a total of 244 combat engagements were recorded.
Yesterday, the enemy conducted 91 airstrikes, during which it dropped 306 guided aerial bombs. In addition, the invaders used 11,138 kamikaze drones and carried out 3,310 attacks on populated areas and positions of Ukrainian forces, 50 of them using multiple-launch rocket systems.
The enemy shelled the settlements of Korenok, Neskuchne, Bachivsk, Sopych, Ulane, Buniakyne, Volfyne, Hirky, Rohizne, Kucherivka, and Hutko-Ozhynka in Sumy Oblast. The enemy also carried out an airstrike on the area around Tovstodubove.
Over the past day, Ukrainian Defense Forces aviation, missile forces, and artillery struck two command posts, two areas where enemy personnel were concentrated, two artillery systems, one air defense system, and five command posts for unmanned aerial vehicles.
Northern-Slobozhanskyi and Kursk Direction
08:00 AM: Over the past day, Ukrainian defenders stopped 17 russian assaults. At the same time, the aggressor conducted three airstrikes, dropping nine aerial bombs, and carried out 64 attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops and populated areas, including nine using multiple-launch rocket systems.
Southern-Slobozhanskyi Direction
08:00 AM: Ukrainian units repelled seven russian attacks. The invaders attempted to advance in the area of Vovchansk and toward the settlements of Bochkove, Lyman, Izybtske, Nesterne, and Volokhivka.
Kupiansk Direction
08:00 AM: There were five russian offensive actions toward Radkivka and Petropavlivka.
Lyman Direction
08:00 AM: Attempts to penetrate Ukrainian defenses were repelled on the Lyman direction, where the occupiers attacked twice in the areas of Zarichne and Novoselivka.
Sloviansk Direction
08:00 AM: The enemy conducted 17 assault operations in the areas of Riznykivka, Kryva Luka, and Zakitne, as well as toward Rai-Oleksandrivka and Mykolaivka.
Kramatorsk Direction
08:00 AM: The Russian invaders conducted five offensive actions in the area of Minkivka and toward Yurkivka.
Kostyantinivka Direction
08:00 AM: A total of 27 attacks were recorded. The invaders conducted assault operations in the areas of Kostiantynivka, Ivanopillia, Illinivka, Novoselivka, Sofiivka, and Rusyn Yar, as well as toward Vilne, Kucheriv Yar, and Novopavlivka.
Pokrovsk Direction
08:00 AM: The erussian occupiers conducted 34 attacks on the Pokrovsk direction.
The occupiers attempted to advance in the areas of Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, and Novomykolaivka, as well as toward the settlements of Novyi Donbas, Hannivka, Shevchenko, Bilytske, Novohryshyne, Myrne, Vasylivka, Serhiivka, Svitłe, and Filiia.
Oleksandryvskyi Direction
08:00 AM: The invaders conducted one attack toward Novyi Zaporizhzhia.
Huliaipole Direction
08:00 AM: The occupiers attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders 11 times. The enemy attempted to advance toward Rivne, Vozdvyzhivka, Tsvitkove, Hirke, and Charivne, as well as in the area of Zaliznychne.
Orikhiv Direction
08:00 AM: Ukrainian defenders stopped four attempts by the enemy to advance toward Prymorske and Lukianivske, as well as in the area of Plavni.
Prydniprovskyi Direction
08:00 AM: There was one combat engagement with the enemy.
Volyn and Polissia Direction
08:00 AM: No signs of the formation of enemy offensive groupings were detected.
Overall, the Russian invaders suffered 1,210 personnel casualties over the past day.
Ukrainian forces also destroyed or disabled:
- 2 tanks
- 7 armored combat vehicles
- 55 artillery systems
- 3 multiple-launch rocket systems
- 5 air defense systems
- 19 ground robotic systems
- 1,962 unmanned aerial vehicles
- 1 heavy flamethrower system
- 443 vehicles
- 7 units of special equipment.
