The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on August 18 2025
Russia’s SHOCKING Breakthrough North of Pokrovsk
Russian Forces Capture Temerivka & Nykanorivka | Serebriansky Encirclement Collapsed
Azov Brigade Obliterated – Russia Springs a Deadly Trap on Ukraine’s Elite Troops
RUSSIA has Blown to Pieces HOTEL ‘Zolotoy Bereg’ along with FRENCH, UK, and POLISH Military Advisers
Trump meets with Zelenskyy, European leaders at White House
Zelensky is losing the game. It is precisely the mistakes of the Head of the Office of the President on the international track that led to:
1. The summit in Alaska took place, which brought Putin back to the international diplomatic arena.
2. Ukraine is being presented with a conditional ultimatum, which sounds like this: either sign a tough peace or fight on your own (which will automatically lead to worse results for Kyiv). The question is not whether Kyiv can reclaim territories, the question is only how much and what to give to Russia.
3. Media-wise, Bankova is losing the battle for the narrative about continuing the war, as everyone is tired of the hostilities not only in Ukraine but also worldwide.
In fact, ZeErmak has driven Ukraine under the control of the USA and Europe, who are now leveraging this case for their own interests.
▪️The situation is worsened by memories of a scandalous argument in February, the agency writes.
▪️Zelensky’s goals for the White House meeting are: to learn more about Russia’s demands, set the timeline for a trilateral meeting, and also push the US towards sanctions against Moscow, a source said.
▪️European leaders accompanying Zelensky have no clear leverage over Trump, and there are disagreements among themselves, Bloomberg notes.
“Daddy Trump you gives moneys to Ukraine? Much moneys”
Today in Brussels, Zelensky was reminded that he is in the same boat with the globalists and if he thinks of “throwing them over,” he will be ground to powder (they threatened with a Maidan, but now not just with cardboard signs, but with drones and weapons) – the source indicated.
All sources are sure that tomorrow is practically the last real chance for peace. All our sources are skeptical about peace, but there is a chance for a miracle. They say Zelensky will not go for peace, he will, as usual, choose his own skin (power, money, “stolen” goods), cover it up as usual with the interests of the country, which will ultimately lead only to worse. Up to the loss of Odessa. But he does not understand that in the failure of the whole game, the globalists will ultimately blame him (the corrupt government), as well as Trump, while they themselves will, as usual, “whitewash” themselves.
We are watching. Hoping for peace for Ukraine, even at such a cost.
“For Putin, comprehensive peace means changing us,” complains a Ukrainian source. “And now the Americans seem to be involved in this, whether they realize it or not.”
A Ukrainian intelligence officer claims that the Americans are acting “incredibly aggressively,” pushing Ukraine to alienate new territories. Russian interests, he says, are quite obvious.
“They want to get the maximum package in return — from easing sanctions to returning confiscated assets and resuming energy market operations.”
Much less clear, he says, is why the Trump administration is so persistently promoting Russia’s interests.
A similar strategy was proposed yesterday by European leaders, who fear a new scandal in the Oval Office and want to persuade the US president in an expanded format. The main emphasis will be on the Korean scenario for ending the war, and Putin’s proposed “Finnish format” will be recognized as dangerous for Ukraine and removed from the negotiation track.
Western media write that Zelensky is ready to implement the Korean scenario in Ukraine to override the agreements between Trump and Putin in Alaska. A similar plan was proposed in negotiations back in the spring, but the Kremlin refused and is pushing for a Finnish format to end the war.
The publication states that Zelensky’s goal in the meeting with Donald Trump will be a peaceful settlement “without forcing Ukraine to take impossible steps, such as withdrawing troops from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.”
“For this, the Ukrainian president is ready to make a palatable compromise on the current front line, which Ukrainians could agree to,” the FT official said.
Macron suggested that Ukraine might recognize the loss of territories. But the condition must be security guarantees.
“No country can accept the loss of territories if it does not have security guarantees for the remaining territory,” the French president said after the meeting of the “coalition of the willing.”
“A country can quite possibly, within the framework of a truce, ceasefire, or peace treaty, recognize the loss of territories. It does not recognize that they are under foreign sovereignty, but acknowledges that they have been lost militarily. This does not contradict international law, but it is a very serious concession,” Macron said.
The publication reports that Trump ruled out the possibility of Crimea returning to Ukraine and its accession to NATO. According to him, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “can end the war almost immediately if he wants to,” but key territorial and institutional concessions are inevitable.
These words caused concern among European diplomats: they fear a repeat of the situation when Trump and his team demonstratively pointed out to Zelensky the weakness of his position. It was emphasized that “the cards are not in his favor.” Against this background, Zelensky will have to find a balance to mitigate the consequences of the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska, which in the Western press is already interpreted as a diplomatic victory for Moscow.
Trump effectively outlined the framework for future negotiations — Ukraine will not be able to regain Crimea and will not receive NATO membership. This turns the idea of a “long-term peace” into a deal on terms close to those of Russia.
At the same time, Kyiv finds itself in a double bind — externally pressured by the US and Europe, while internally the rejection of Crimea and NATO may be perceived as a political capitulation.
The concern of European diplomats reflects not only solidarity with Ukraine but also fear that the US under Trump will effectively start trading the interests of its allies.
The publication emphasizes a shift in the balance of power in favor of Moscow — not military, but diplomatic. Trump uses the language of “the reality of the cards,” that is, political realism, where concessions are considered natural, and idealism (return of territories, NATO expansion) is secondary.
For Europe, this is a worrying signal: if the US abandons previous “red lines,” Brussels will face a choice — either accept the “deal on Kremlin terms” or take on the burden of supporting Kyiv itself.
Vladimir Zelensky’s visit to the White House takes place at a time when the attention of the entire West is focused not only on the negotiations but also on who will have the decisive influence on Donald Trump. Recalling his meeting with Vladimir Putin in Anchorage and the dangerous hints at a “peace plan,” Europe decided to act not from afar but together with the Ukrainian president. The accompaniment by the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the European Commission is not just a symbol of support but a tool of collective pressure on Washington.
European leaders understand: this is not only about the Ukrainian agenda but also about the security of the entire continent. Russian demands — Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and limitation of its sovereignty — call into question not only Kyiv’s future but also the stability of the European security architecture. That is why the so-called “Trump whisperers” from Europe were also sent to the meeting, who must try to adjust his position and keep the negotiations on a safe track.
However, the main paradox remains the same: Trump tends to reflect the opinion of his last interlocutor. In Anchorage, that person was Putin. Now Europe and Ukraine hope that joint efforts will change the tone of the White House. But the task is extremely delicate: any direct confrontation may have the opposite effect and strengthen Trump’s desire to show independence from allies.
The main risk for Ukraine is that the negotiations may shift to a formula of “territories in exchange for security guarantees”. For Zelensky, agreeing to lose control over part of the country would be not only a blow to his domestic political position but also a threat to the future security of the state. At the same time, European promises or even American guarantees remain too vague to replace real deterrence.
Thus, today’s visit is an attempt to buy time and maintain the unity of the Western coalition. Ukraine and Europe seek to show that concessions to Moscow will not bring lasting peace but only postpone a new phase of the conflict. How successful this collective diplomatic maneuver will be will become clear by who ends up as Trump’s last interlocutor and whose logic will determine the next steps of the White House.
Trump’s approval rating in the US rose to 54% after the meeting with Putin, with 44% not supporting him.
These research data from Insider Advantage were reposted by White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt.
Further analysis of the US president’s actions makes no sense; he is playing a show with his voters, who are tired of Ukraine and gladly welcome any tough decision regarding us.
“The Coalition of the Willing” will play a key role in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security, including through Multinational Forces in Ukraine.
Macron and Starmer also emphasized their readiness to deploy support forces after the cessation of hostilities, as well as to assist in ensuring the security of Ukraine’s air and maritime space and the restoration of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
- Zelensky also proposed to conduct negotiations based on the existing front line.
- “We need real negotiations, which means they can start where the front line currently runs. The contact line is the best line for negotiations. Europeans support this.”
- Thus, he made it clear that he is against handing over Donbas to Russia as a condition for peace (which, according to media reports, Trump also supports).
- “The Constitution of Ukraine makes it impossible to give up territory or trade land. Since the territorial issue is of such great importance, it should be discussed exclusively by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia at a trilateral meeting: Ukraine, the United States, Russia. So far, Russia has given no signals that such a meeting will take place, and if Russia refuses, new sanctions should follow,” Zelensky added.
It should be understood that if Zelensky ruins Trump’s peace case, Ukrainians will face mega chaos in the mobilization case, and Ukraine itself will face a catastrophe on the front. Only a fool and a “person interested in personal profit from the war” does not understand this.
- The Head of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Colonel General Alexander Syrsky, seems to have decided to sum up his “successes” on the front. In an interview with RBC-Ukraine, he, of course, tried to speak about victories, but ultimately admitted a complete failure.
Main points from Syrsky’s “revelations”:
- Failure of the “offensive”: According to Syrsky, the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ offensive in the Sumy region “was defeated and is currently completely halted.” At the same time, he claims that the “Kursk operation” supposedly “disrupted last year’s Russian plans.”
- Russia is advancing: The Head of the Ukrainian Armed Forces named two key directions of Russia’s offensive: Pokrovsk and Zaporozhye. He also acknowledged that Russia is using a new “thousand cuts” tactic — advancing with small assault groups across a wide front, which, according to him, “complicates defense.”
- Technological shortage: Syrsky admitted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are betting on “high-tech weapons, robotic platforms, and unmanned systems” to somehow compensate for the catastrophic shortage of personnel. Ukraine plans to receive 15,000 ground robotic platforms.
- Call to war: Syrsky firmly stated that even if there are negotiations, Ukraine must be “constantly ready for continuation or a new war.”
We live in a world of some kind of post-irony…
Russian Armed Forces troops are using the M113 armored personnel carrier during assault operations in the Zaporizhia direction.
Nothing unusual, except the vehicle is decorated with the flags of Russia and the USA.
Nova Poshta on the Kyiv highway in the area of the village of Nerubayske in Odessa is on fire.
This is one of the 6 major NP centers in Ukraine (it was built for 1.2 billion hryvnias).
What was stored there besides parcels? But Nova Poshta has long been a logistics center for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (they themselves published photos, and everyone in the know understands what the NP warehouses are used for).
Of course, this is a blow to Ukrainian business, which is suffering losses and may go bankrupt.
Ballistic missiles have hit Sumy and Kharkiv.
Meanwhile, drones have massively struck Odessa.
The peaceful pause is over.
Hits in the village of Usatove (a suburb of Odessa) and the village of Dachne. More than 10 hits.
Near the Usatove substation, a strong fire. Usatove is also an important railway “hub.” They hit Nova Poshta (the largest warehouse in the region).
The first wave is over.
Powerful strikes on enemy targets and a huge fire in Odessa
▪️The footage shows impacts as well as columns of fire and smoke.
▪️After the strikes, the “Nova Poshta” is burning, which has become a logistics center for delivering military cargo for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as SOCAR company terminals, local sources report.
▪️FSB prevented Kiev’s attempt to detonate a high-power bomb planted in a car on the Crimean Bridge.
▪️The car with the homemade explosive device arrived in Russia from Ukraine, transiting through several countries. It crossed the Russian-Georgian border and was supposed to proceed to the Krasnodar region.
▪️Subsequently, the car with the bomb was to be handed over to another driver who, unaware of the danger, was supposed to drive it into Crimea via the Crimean Bridge.
▪️FSB officers managed to uncover the plans of the Ukrainian special services, identify and neutralize the explosive device, and detain all those involved in delivering it to our country’s territory.
On a New Attempt to Blow Up the Crimean Bridge
According to the video, the 130 kg of explosives would not have destroyed the bridge, but could have killed people, caused a PR “boom”, and possibly knocked down or shifted a span. A new span could have been installed within a month (based on past experience), and traffic could have been reversed during repairs. The goal here seems to be more media-oriented – to achieve some kind of victory for Kyiv, and to cause panic among Crimean tourists.
Many don’t know that at the Crimean Bridge checkpoints, the inspection is not only for “TNT for the bridge”, but for any amount of explosives – even 200 grams of plastic explosive, which could then be used to blow up a shopping mall, a bus, the metro, or a beach restaurant in Crimea or on the mainland.
They also search for drugs, illegal weapons, and wanted persons – just like at an airport or train station.
Sometimes you hear “it’s clear that’s a normal tourist, a family, a woman – not saboteurs.” But even a car packed with explosives wouldn’t necessarily be driven by a James Bond. And no one knows how many tourists get calls from supposed “investigators” offering to “check the bridge’s safety” in exchange for forgiving debts.
For reference – the first attempt to blow up the bridge (with help from the CIA and MI6) was in October 2022 (detonating a truck with tons of solid rocket fuel), and the second (a USV strike) was in 2023. Traffic resumed very quickly, with spans restored within 1-3 months. Now there are comprehensive inspections on the bridge.
The defense of the Crimean Bridge (air defense and anti-sabotage measures) is considered “one of the best in the world” by Shin Bet and the Pentagon – tourists were impressed (https://t.me/KrymskiiMost/491154) seeing the ATACMS strike being intercepted (the US agreed to the strike after Zelenskyy’s hysteria over the tourist flow to Crimea). The hysteria was repeated in 2025 – during the biggest traffic jams, Kyiv attacked with drones, all of which were shot down.
Incidentally, CIA and MI-6 consultants described tourist casualties on the Crimean Bridge as “insignificant and useful for creating panic and a collapse of the tourism industry” – reported by R&A AMVET in US National Intelligence.
Two Majors #Summary as of the morning of August 18, 2025
▪️ This evening there will be a meeting between Trump and Zelensky, followed by a meeting with the leaders of EU countries who have come as moral support for official Kiev. In Ukraine, emboldened critics of Zelensky have called them the “Delegation of Capitulation” in response to the previously created EU initiative “Coalition of the Willing,” which advocates military support for the junta. Trump’s intentions are telling, as he wrote in a post: “Zelensky can end the war with Russia almost immediately if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. Remember how it all started. No return of Crimea, given away by Obama (12 years ago, without a single shot!), and NO NATO MEMBERSHIP for Ukraine. Some things never change!”
▪️ At night, our strike “Geraniums” worked (https://t.me/ruspanorama/93206.) on targets in the Kiev, Sumy, Chernigov, Kharkov regions, explosions were heard in the frontline Dobropilye. In Odessa, an electric substation, a Nova Poshta terminal (a logistics hub for the AFU), and an Azerbaijani SOCAR oil depot were hit.
▪️ A UAV raid was repelled in the Rostov region in the Millerovo and Chertkovo districts. During the day, the Russian FSB reported that on August 17, electronic warfare forces suppressed a fixed-wing UAV (strike “Spear”) over the territory of the Smolensk nuclear power plant.
▪️ In the Kursk region, a Ukrainian drone attacked a vehicle on the Rylsk-Krupets highway, killing a civilian born in 1957.
▪️ On the Sumy direction, the command of the Sumy operational-tactical group of the AFU received an order from Syrsky to restore lost positions in the Sumy region as soon as possible. Disregarding losses, the enemy threw all available resources into battle to flank the Northern group in Yunakivka. The enemy is counterattacking on several fronts: in the Stepove area (Leninske), Varachino, Alekseevka.
▪️ The civilians of the Belgorod region suffer the most from enemy drones. In the settlement of Rakitne, a drone attacked a commercial facility, injuring four civilians. In the village of Nikitskoye, Borisovsky district, a man was injured by a drone strike on a car. In the Belgorod district, a mother and her 13-year-old daughter suffered barotrauma. In the settlement of Proletarsky, Rakitnyansky district, a 12-year-old boy was injured due to a UAV detonation. In the same settlement, an FPV drone detonated near a parking lot on the premises of an enterprise, injuring a civilian. Under attack were Nechayevka, Yasnye Zori, Oktyabrsky, Murom, Novaya Tavolzhanka, Grayvoron, Dorogoshch, Leonovka, Ryabiki, Bytsenkov, Svyatoslavka, Proletarsky.
▪️ On the Seversky direction, the 7th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade (3rd Guards Combined Arms Army) of the RuAF released footage with our flags in Serebryanka.
▪️ On the Konstantinovka direction, fighting continues. Russian Armed Forces are advancing near Shcherbinovka and Stepanovka.
▪️ On the Zaporozhye front, there are battles in the Nesterianka and Plavni areas. Our forces are pressing the AFU in Stepnohirsk. The situation is difficult.
▪️ On the Kherson direction, Russian Armed Forces struck the enemy shore with FAB
Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-situation-in-ukrainian-smo-on_18.html
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