On the night of August 18, 2026, Ukraine's defense forces carried out large-scale strikes on key Russian military targets. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, published in their Telegram channel, an ammunition depot in Karlovka, Donetsk region, was hit, as well as five unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control points in the Belgorod and Zaporizhzhia regions. These actions are part of an ongoing campaign to weaken the enemy's logistical and command infrastructure.
Strikes on UAV control points and depots
Ukrainian units confirmed the destruction of five Russian UAV control points. The targets were located in the areas of Ustinka and Zhuravlevka (Belgorod region), as well as Novoivanovka, Novoye, and Malye Shcherbaki (Zaporizhzhia region). Additionally, a control point in the Ternov area (Donetsk region) was destroyed. Such strikes aim to disrupt the Russian drone control system, which is actively used for reconnaissance and attacks on Ukrainian positions.
Use of British strike drones
For the first time during these operations, Ukraine deployed British strike drones to attack deep inside Russian territory. According to media reports, these systems have been used for about six months to strike oil refineries and other strategic Russian targets. Their deployment indicates an expansion of the geography and effectiveness of Ukrainian counter-offensive actions, especially given limited domestic resources.
Attacks on oil refineries
Since the beginning of August 2026, Ukrainian drones have attacked 10 out of 34 major Russian oil refineries — nearly a third of all such facilities. On the night of August 16, a strike was launched against the "Kamensky Combine" in Kamensk-Shakhtinsky (Rostov region). These attacks inflict serious damage on the Russian economy, undermining its energy security and export potential.
Conflicting data
While the Ukrainian side reports successful strikes on military targets, Russian sources, such as TASS and Mail.ru, claim the destruction of Ukrainian UAV control points in the Zaporizhzhia region and near Krasny Liman. This creates a picture of mutual accusations and conflicting versions of events. For example, source ID 3 (news.mail.ru) claims that the Russian Armed Forces destroyed Ukrainian UAV control points in the Zaporizhzhia region, whereas the Ukrainian General Staff reports hitting Russian control points in the same areas. Such a situation requires further verification and analysis by independent observers.
Attempts by Russian troops to advance
In recent days, Russian troops continued attempts to advance on various fronts but failed to achieve confirmed successes. According to US analysts, on August 15 and 16, occupiers conducted offensive operations in the north of the Sumy region, but no advance was recorded in this sector. The Armed Forces of Ukraine successfully repelled enemy attempts to seize territory, demonstrating the high effectiveness of Ukrainian defensive actions.
