Sitrep 2026-07-18 23:33:12.269949+00

Situation Update (UTC)

Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast: RF expanded a multi-vector ballistic missile salvo against the capital with new confirmed impacts in Solomianskyi (apartment building, supermarket), Desnianskyi (near shopping center), and Dniprovskyi (shopping center, vehicles); RF milbloggers claimed up to 40 missiles (23:05Z-23:25Z, Повітряні Сили ЗС України / КМВА / ASTRA / Военкор Котенок, confidence HIGH for impacts and ballistic attack, MEDIUM for exact counts).
Slatino / Dergachi, Kharkiv Oblast: RF forces struck residential areas and an electrical substation using 4 FAB-500 guided air bombs and drones, resulting in 8 civilian and energy worker injuries and localized power outages (23:06Z, ASTRA, confidence HIGH).
Gelendzhik / Novorossiysk, Krasnodar Krai: Russian authorities lifted the drone attack threat across the municipalities, indicating the conclusion or mitigation of the UAF drone wave (23:21Z, Оперативный штаб - Краснодарский край, confidence HIGH).
Zaporizhzhia Direction: RF Far Eastern units reported successfully countering UAF unmanned systems, highlighting ongoing tactical C-UAS efforts in the southern sector (23:30Z, Воин DV, confidence MEDIUM).

Kupiansk / Lyman: No significant change. Weather: 15.1C (Svatove), clear, wind 0.9 m/s.
Siversk / Sloviansk / Chasiv Yar / Toretsk: No significant change. Weather: 14.2C (Pokrovsk), clear, wind 0.7 m/s.
Pokrovsk / Dobropillia: No significant change. Weather: 14.2C, clear, wind 0.7 m/s.
Novopavlivka / Huliaipole / Orikhiv (Zaporizhzhia): RF Far Eastern units reported countering UAF UAVs. Weather: 14.5C (Orikhiv), clear, wind 0.8 m/s.
Kherson / Dnipropetrovsk / Odesa / Mykolaiv: No significant change. Weather: 18.1C (Kherson), clear, wind 2.1 m/s.
Kharkiv / Sumy / Border areas: Slatino and Dergachi (Kharkiv Oblast) struck by 4 FAB-500s and drones, damaging a substation and residential areas. Weather: 12.9C (Vovchansk), clear, wind 0.7 m/s.
Kursk / Belgorod / Border areas: Ballistic missile launches from Bryansk directed at Kyiv.
Central / Northern Rear: Kyiv under continued multi-vector ballistic missile attack with new impacts in Solomianskyi, Desnianskyi, and Dniprovskyi districts.

UAF Deep Strikes: The drone attack threat in Gelendzhik and Novorossiysk (Krasnodar Krai) was lifted, indicating the UAF drone wave has passed or been mitigated (23:21Z, Оперативный штаб - Краснодарский край, confidence HIGH).
RF Aerospace Campaign: RF continued a multi-vector ballistic missile salvo against Kyiv. UAF Air Force tracked additional launches from Bryansk and transits via Chernihiv. Impacts confirmed in Solomianskyi (apartment building, supermarket), Shevchenkivskyi (apartment from debris, non-residential), Sviatoshynskyi (private house), Desnianskyi (near shopping center), and Dniprovskyi (shopping center, vehicles). RF milbloggers claimed 37 to over 40 missiles (23:05Z-23:25Z, Повітряні Сили ЗС України / КМВА / ASTRA / Николаевский Ванёк / Военкор Котенок, confidence HIGH for impacts and ballistic nature, MEDIUM for exact counts).
Air Defense / Threats: UAF Air Force actively tracking and warning of continuous ballistic waves. RF milbloggers claimed intercepts and exaggerated UAF panic (23:13Z-23:16Z, НгП раZVедка / Николаевский Ванёк, confidence LOW for interception success claims).

RF Command Posture: RF is sustaining a high-tempo, multi-wave ballistic missile campaign against Kyiv, demonstrating persistence and capacity for follow-on salvos to overwhelm air defense and emergency response.
RF Tactical Adaptations: RF forces in Kharkiv Oblast are utilizing FAB-500 guided air bombs combined with drones to strike civilian and energy infrastructure in Slatino and Dergachi, causing localized power outages (23:06Z, ASTRA, confidence HIGH).
RF C-RAM Development: Pro-RF channels are highlighting a Chinese-designed "mini-Pantsir" C-RAM system (multiple heavy machine guns, optical camera, rocket pods) optimized for close-in counter-UAV defense, indicating RF's ongoing efforts to integrate foreign C-UAS tech at the tactical level (23:03Z, Colonelcassad, confidence MEDIUM for system existence/fielding, LOW for widespread operational deployment).

Deep Strikes: UAF drone operations in Krasnodar Krai appear to have concluded or paused, as authorities lifted the drone attack threat in Gelendzhik and Novorossiysk (23:21Z, Оперативный штаб - Краснодарский край, confidence HIGH).
Defensive Operations: UAF Air Force maintained continuous tracking and public warnings for the multi-wave ballistic threat targeting Kyiv and the broader central/northern regions. Kyiv emergency services are responding to multiple new impact sites, including residential and commercial zones.

Kyiv Strike Amplification: RF milbloggers (НгП раZVедка, Военкор Котенок, Операция Z) are heavily amplifying the Kyiv strikes, claiming record-breaking missile counts (37-40+) and emphasizing the scale of fires to project psychological terror and assert overwhelming force.
Cynical Propaganda: НгП раZVедка posted cynical commentary regarding civilian casualties at a marketplace/supermarket in Kyiv, attempting to normalize or mock the targeting of civilian infrastructure (23:06Z, НгП раZVедка, confidence HIGH for narrative observation).
Exaggerated Claims: Voenkor Kotenok and others claim "over 40 missiles" and "one of the most massive strikes in recent months," which aligns with ongoing propaganda efforts to inflate the perceived scale and success of RF aerospace campaigns (23:17Z, Военкор Котенок, confidence MEDIUM for narrative, LOW for exact independent verification of total missile count).

Monitor Kyiv for comprehensive post-strike damage assessments, casualty reports, and official UAF Air Force statistics on intercepted vs. impacted missiles across the newly affected districts (Solomianskyi, Desnianskyi, Dniprovskyi).
Track Kharkiv Oblast for restoration of power in Dergachi and Slatino following the substation strike, and monitor for follow-on FAB or drone attacks in the region.
Observe RF milblogger channels for Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) claims and further propaganda amplification regarding the missile counts.

Kyiv Expanded Strike BDA: Obtain geolocated visual imagery and official casualty/damage reports for the newly impacted districts (Solomianskyi, Desnianskyi, Dniprovskyi) to assess target types (supermarket, residential) and interception success rates.
Kharkiv Substation Damage: Assess the extent of damage to the electrical substation in Dergachi and the duration of the resulting power outages in surrounding settlements.
Chinese C-RAM System: Verify the operational deployment and effectiveness of the showcased Chinese "mini-Pantsir" C-RAM system on the frontline, particularly in the Zaporizhzhia or Donetsk directions.
Total Missile Count: Corroborate the RF milblogger claims of 37-40+ ballistic missiles with UAF Air Force official data on total launches and intercepts.