Russian Defence Ministry on progress of special military operation as of 18 January 2026
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
The Sever Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Russian troops hit formations of one mechanised brigade, one air assault brigade, one assault regiment of the AFU, and two territorial defence brigades close to Rogoznoye, Novaya Sech, Yastrebinoye, Pisarevka, and Miropolye (Sumy region).
In Kharkov direction, Russian servicmen launched attacks on units of two heavy mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, two territorial defence brigades, and one border security detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine close to Vatutino, Prikolotnoye, Ryasnoye, Pokalyanoye, Okhrimovka, and Zeleny Gai (Kharkov region).
The enemy losses were more than 175 troops, 24 motor vehicles, five field artillery guns, one Israeli-made RADA radar station, one electronic warfare station, and four materiel depots.
The Zapad Group of Forces’ units took more advantageous lines and positions. Russian troops delivered strikes at manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, two assault brigades, one airmobile brigade, one air assault brigade of the AFU, one territorial defence brigade, and two National Guard brigades close to Blagodatovka, Berezovka, Novoosinovo, Petrovka, Kutkovka, Nechvolodovka (Kharkov region) Yarovaya, and Krasny Liman (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The enemy losses were up to 200 troops, six armoured fighting vehicles, 19 motor vehicles, and two ammunition depots.
The Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Russian troops launched attacks on of four mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigades, and one motorised infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Slavyansk, Kurtovka, Kramatorsk, Vasyutinskoye, Druzhkovka, Konstantinovka, and Malinovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses were more than 135 troops, one M113 armoured personnel carrier, one U.S.-made Stryker armoured personnel carrier, five armoured fighting vehicles, 17 motor vehicles, four field artillery guns including two Polish-made 155-mm Krab self-propelled artillery systems, and one electronic warfare station.
The Tsentr Group of Forces’ units improved the situation along the front line. Russian troops inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of six mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigade, one air assault brigade, three assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one marine brigade, the Azov Special Operations Brigade, and four National Guard brigades close to Gavrilovka, Novopavlovka, Fedorovskoye, Novopodgornoye (Dnepropetrovsk region), Artemovka, Annovka, Belitskoye, Spassko-Mikhaylovka, and Grishino (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The AFU losses were more than 455 troops, one tank, two armoured personnel carriers, three Kazak armoured vehicles, four pickup trucks, three artillery guns, and one Israeli-made RADA radar station.
The Vostok Group of Forces’ units continued to advance into the depths of enemy defences. Russian troops hit manpower ad hardware of one mechanised brigade, two assault brigades, four assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and one marine brigade near Rizdvyanka, Zaliznichnoye, Rozovka, Vozdvizhenka, Staroukrainka, Dorozhnyanka, Tsvetkovoye, Ternovatoye (Zaporozhye region), and Malomikhaylovka (Dnepropetrovsk region).
The enemy losses were more than 205 troops, three armoured personnel carriers, eight motor vehicles, and two field artillery guns including one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer. In addition, one material depot was destroyed.
The Dnepr Group of Forces’ units inflicted fire damage on formations of one mechanised brigade, one mountain assault brigade, and one coastal defence brigade near Orekhov, Magdalinovka (Zaporozhye region) and Antonovka (Kherson region).
The enemy losses were up to 40 Ukrainian troops, one Osa-AKM SAM system combat vehicle, four motor vehicles, one artillery gun, two electronic warfare stations, and one materiel depot.
Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces inflicted fire damage on long-range unmanned aerial vehicle assembly areas, power and transport infrastructure facilities that supported the AFU as well as temporary deployment areas of AFU and foreign mercenaries in 149 areas.
Air defence systems shot down six guided aerial bombs, nine U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 220 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the enemy has lost:
670 aircraft,
283 helicopters,
109,778 unmanned aerial vehicles,
646 anti-aircraft missile systems,
27,192 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles,
1,642 MLRS combat vehicles,
32,662 field artillery guns and mortars,
52,152 units of support military vehicles.