Despite assertions from Moscow that the military operation is proceeding as planned, reports of attacks within Russia and against it’s naval assets are mounting. A Ukrainian drone strike on a Russian-flagged tanker in the Mediterranean sea – reportedly the first of its kind – emerged during President Putin’s annual address to the nation, highlighting Kyiv’s expanding reach. Alongside these developments, continued fighting is reported across multiple sectors of the frontlines in Ukraine, including near Lyman, pokrovsk, and Hulyaipole, as detailed in the following report compiled from events on December 18th.
- While Putin assured the public that all is going according to plan, tankers are burning at sea, fighter jets on airfields, and S-400 battery components are exploding in fields.
- Following the capture of Siversk, Russian forces are consolidating their front lines and preparing for an offensive towards Lyman.
- Russian troops are attacking on the flanks of the Pokrovsk battlefield.
- Fighting is intensifying deeper within the streets of Hulyaipole.
- Ukraine lost a Su-27 and a Mi-24 in a short period. Speculation suggests at least the helicopter may have been downed by a drone.
- Maps of the day – Siversk, Pokrovsk, Hulyaipole
- Videos of the day
The information in this text is a summary of events from Thursday, December 18th. The situation may have changed since then.
While President Putin maintained that the military operation is proceeding as planned, a tanker carrying Russian oil caught fire at sea, aircraft were reportedly damaged on airfields, and components of S-400 air defense systems exploded in fields. Amidst ongoing combat, the Russian leader held his annual televised question-and-answer session, attempting to reassure citizens that the situation is under control. He predicted that inflation in Russia would fall below six percent this year and claimed the military has secured contracts with 400,000 volunteer soldiers, negating the need for further mobilization.
Putin, who has been indicted for war crimes, stated that these volunteers are motivated by “atrocities committed by the Ukrainian army against civilians.” However, reports indicate that the financial incentives are substantial, even by Russian standards.
During Putin’s address, reports emerged of a Ukrainian drone attack in the Mediterranean Sea that ignited the QENDIL, a tanker belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet. According to MarineTraffic, the vessel is flagged under Oman and was last located roughly halfway between Crete and Malta. Russian opposition sources claim that General Andrey Averianov, allegedly responsible for special operations within Russian military intelligence, was onboard at the time of the attack, though this information remains unconfirmed. This incident highlights Ukraine’s expanding ability to strike Russian assets even in distant waters.
❗️The 🇺🇦SBU has for the first time struck a tanker from 🇷🇺Russia’s shadow fleet in the neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
As a result of multi-stage operations in the neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the “Alpha” unit of the SBU struck the tanker QENDIL using aerial… pic.twitter.com/gkU3PgQssG
— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) December 19, 2025
This operation is recent, and details are still emerging. The “Developments of the Day” section therefore focuses on successful attacks from previous days, primarily targeting Crimea, but not limited to the peninsula.
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