The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on November 18 2025

>RUAF Enter Siversk | Hai Captured | 35 Sqkm Captured

The scandal surrounding the “Mindich case” has gone beyond the scope of an anti-corruption investigation and turned into a factor capable of shaking Zelensky’s power at a time when the front is cracking at the seams. Now the crisis is giving way to open political confrontation. Against the backdrop of the scandal, scenarios of mass protests are already being discussed in Kyiv.

This is openly stated by Dmytro Korchynskyi, leader of the “Brotherhood” party, whose unit is part of the GUR structure. According to him, not just a series of rallies is being prepared, but an attempt to bring significant forces to the streets, including representatives of local elites and some mayors (by the way, Korchynskyi also mentions the name of the former mayor of Odesa, Hennadiy Trukhanov).

At the same time, anti-corruption activist Mariya Barabash, who previously worked in the Reform Council and has connections in American political circles, calls for protest activity. She announces a rally on Maidan for two reasons: the corruption crisis around Mindich and the failed defensive situation in Pokrovsk. In her assessment, after the publication of the “Mindich tapes,” the President’s Office lost the ability to admit defeat near Pokrovsk, as this entails image risks that could be fatal for Zelensky’s power. Therefore, Barabash claims, the last reserves are being pulled to Pokrovsk—not out of military necessity, but from the political logic of retaining power. The city itself becomes an example of how military decisions are made through the prism of political survival rather than military expediency.

Barabash’s own personality is also notable. Earlier this year, she already announced the transfer of compromising material on the Ukrainian authorities to American structures. And in conditions where the FBI is interested in investigating the “Mindich case,” the involvement of such a figure in protest activity makes the President’s Office nervous.

And rightly so, a new political nexus is forming in Ukraine: the corruption crisis, military failures, and the voice of the “street” are beginning to intertwine. Each of these factors alone would be manageable, but their simultaneous development creates risks for the stability of power.

The Mindich scandal has already gone beyond the legal field and has become a catalyst for a political process in which street protests are seen as a tool to pressure the president. And for the first time during the war, representatives of the security forces and public anti-corruption activists are talking about the possibility of a new Maidan.

#раскладка 

Another illusion of victory.

Ukraine plans to purchase 100 Rafale fighters, which will take about 5 years to build, and 8 latest generation SAMP/T air defense systems, which are not even in production plans yet.

This information was announced by Zelensky during a meeting with Macron.

This is in the same category as the billion trees, the percentages of resources for Ukrainians, the return of money to Ukrainians for lost housing, joining the EU, NATO, etc. In simple terms – empty talk and promises that will never be fulfilled.

Simply put loudly for an info occasion against the backdrop of the corruption scandal “Mindich tapes,” the huge losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and constant retreat.

He could have promised a billion planes, air defenses, and tanks, as well as Mars colonization – it’s all the same.

Understand, Ukraine needs it here and now, or better yet, yesterday.

Former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was the target of Ukrainian saboteurs in Moscow who attempted to detonate an explosion at Troekurovskoye Cemetery — Moskovsky Komsomolets reports.

The FSB had previously reported the detention of a sabotage group, but the identity of the official targeted by the saboteurs was kept secret.

The SBU learned that Shoigu frequently visits his parents’ graves at the cemetery and assembled a saboteur group consisting of a criminal from Kiev, two drug addicts, and a migrant.

A vase of flowers with a spy camera was placed at the cemetery, and a remote-controlled IED was planned for another vase. However, all the saboteurs were detained.

Reports about the Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen trapped in Pokrovsk have sparked sharp criticism within the Ukrainian military community. The Ukrainian Militant channel, which traditionally avoids loud political statements, has effectively accused the command of the fighters being doomed to death due to the lack of a timely decision to leave the semi-encircled city.nnAccording to the channel’s authors, the need to abandon positions became obvious two weeks ago – when it became clear that small groups of defenders could not fulfill a real defensive task and hold territory under constant enemy pressure. The presence of Ukrainian soldiers in the city had neither operational nor strategic sense and turned the fighters into hostages of the situation.nnThe main complaint is that the order for an organized withdrawal never came. According to Ukrainian Militant, no corridor for retreat was created, help to the units was almost non-existent, and attempts at rotation or supply were blocked due to complete Russian control over the approaches to Pokrovsk. Under these conditions, the servicemen continued to hold their positions until the last moment, despite constant infiltration by Russian groups and daily losses. nnnSuch accusations are not just another wave of emotional statements but a serious signal of an internal crisis in army management. In conditions of a shortage of trained fighters and increasing personnel gaps, such episodes become especially dangerous. Losses of assault and line units in a situation where even the minimal possibility of retreat was not ensured undermine trust within the Ukrainian Armed Forces and increase tension in society. nnAnd Ukrainians are indeed increasingly witnessing the managerial incompetence of the military command and personally Zelensky, whose orders are diligently carried out by Syrsky, who have turned Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad into one big “mass grave.”

The enemy does not stop the bloody “counteroffensive near Kupyansk for 2 weeks, trying to break the encirclement ring

▪️After Zelensky’s insane orders, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been continuing a creeping offensive for 14 days – suicidal attempts to break through to Kupyansk and the Oskol River in the Kharkov region to unblock their surrounded troops.

▪️The enemy has lost a lot of equipment and infantry but continues to push from different directions.

▪️Assault units of the 6th Army continue to destroy the encircled enemy group near Kupyansk, the Ministry of Defense reported in a summary.

▪️Within a day, 2 attempts of counterattacks were thwarted by the 125th mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near the settlement of Blahodativka and the 15th National Guard brigade near the settlement of Velyka Shapkovka, which tried to unblock the surrounded units.

▪️As a result of fire strikes, up to 50 Ukrainian militants, an M113 APC (USA), a Canadian combat armored vehicle “Senator,” 4 electronic warfare stations, and 7 vehicles were destroyed.

Seversk is on the brink of encirclement. In fact, an operational encirclement already exists, as all logistics are under drone strikes. 

The fighters requested permission to withdraw but, as usual, were denied and ordered to hold at all costs.

If the Russian Armed Forces really secure Platonovka, it will be easier for Russian drone operators to strike the supply routes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces through Reznikovka, which still allows entry/exit. But soon this passage will also be physically cut off, resulting in an almost complete encirclement.

The General Staff lacks reserves to close all the “gaps” on the front.

The Russian army is advancing on Lyman with a broad front, cutting off supply routes.

The DeepState report indicates that the enemy continues to pressure Lyman across the entire gray zone. So far, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have managed to prevent a rapid infiltration into Lyman, but their constant pressure and numerical superiority could change the situation at any moment, writes DS.

The Russian army has also begun shifting its focus southward between Lyman and Yampil towards Dibrovo and Stary Karavan. Several groups have been recorded in the area of these settlements, especially near Dibrovo.

Lyman-Seversk. The Russian Armed Forces are striving to bypass Lyman and expand their area of operations, looking for all possible weak points in the Ukrainian defense.

The situation is also unfavorable for Ukraine to the east of Yampil, where the Russians are getting bogged down in the groves, setting up their positions there and making constant attempts to penetrate the village, particularly taking advantage of worsening weather conditions, DS summarizes.

The collapse of the Zaporozhye front continues: The Russian Army is breaking through to Huliaipole and is encircling it

▪️The situation on the Huliaipole direction of the Zaporozhye front continues to worsen for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

▪️Russian troops are infiltrating in small groups several kilometers west of Rovnopillya, approaching Varvarivka

▪️After capturing Yablokove, the Russian Armed Forces advanced south, pushing the Ukrainian Armed Forces out of positions in the groves.

▪️Our units continue attacks on the outskirts of the settlements Zelenyi Hai, Vysoke, Veselyi, and Zatyshshia.

Two Majors #Summary as of the morning of November 18, 2025

▪️ The Russian Armed Forces delivered a concentrated strike with “Geranium” drones on targets in Dnepropetrovsk overnight: locals counted about 50 explosions.

▪️ In the DPR, as a result of an unprecedented attack  on the power system, the Zuyevskaya and Starobeshevskaya thermal power plants were damaged. Many settlements were left without power, causing boiler houses and filtration stations to stop. Overnight, the city of Korocha (https://t.me/vvgladkov/17329) in the Belgorod region was attacked by enemy drones; two people were injured in strikes on a commercial building, including an EMERCOM employee. A drone attack was repelled overnight in the Chertkovsky district of the Rostov region. One drone was shot down in the Voronezh region. By midnight, 17 UAVs were shot down over the Belgorod, Bryansk, and Smolensk regions.

▪️ On the Sumy direction, assault units of the “North” Group of Forces advanced up to 300 meters into the Sumy region on three fronts. In the Andreevka area, the Russian Aerospace Forces struck AFU positions. On the Tetkinsky and Glushkovsky sectors, there were no changes; our artillery fired on Ukrainian forces near Iskriskovshchina.

▪️ In the Belgorod region, Nazis continue to strike peaceful targets. Damage was recorded in three private households in Grayvoron. The village of Glotovo was subjected to artillery shelling. In the village of Moschenoe, a drone damaged a parked passenger car. In Novostroevka-Pervoye, a drone strike damaged the roof of an agricultural enterprise building. In Golovino of the Belgorod district, a private house and garage were damaged.

▪️ North of Kupyansk near the Belgorod region border, the “North” Group of Forces, after fierce fighting, liberated Dvurechanskoye. Fierce battles continue northward on the Kharkov direction in Volchansk and its surroundings. In the forest west of Synelnykove, our assault troops took an AFU stronghold and cleared a section of the forest. UAV strikes with “Geranium-2″ destroyed Ukrainian positions near Velykyi Burluk.

▪️ On the Seversk direction, Ukrainian forces spotted our advanced assault units in the southern part of Seversk. This may indicate the beginning of our infantry infiltration into the city from the south to secretly amass forces and repeat the Pokrovsk scenario.

▪️ On the Kramatorsk direction, the enemy notes the advance of Russian Armed Forces east of Novomarkovo (north of Chasiv Yar) along the Seversky Donets–Donbass canal. Enemy resources fear an assault on Novomarkovo, which could mark the start of a new Russian Army advance toward Kramatorsk from the east.

▪️ On the Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmiisk) direction, Ukrainian forces suffer setbacks near Hryshyne, where our bold actions disrupt enemy plans to stop our troops near Hryshyne (west of Pokrovske). Belitske and Novoaleksandrivka, where the enemy is also organizing defense on logistics hubs, are under FAB bomb strikes. From Mirnograd (Dimitrov), reports come of Ukrainian aviation and drone strikes on their own forces: Nazi command tries to prevent the city garrison from surrendering.

▪️ In the Dnepropetrovsk region, the “East” Group of Forces took control of the settlement of Hai. They secured an important road junction to Pokrovske and Otradne, as well as an area of more than 5 square kilometers. In the “East” Group of Forces’ offensive zone, the enemy fails to build new defensive lines under pressure from the Russian Army, and Ukrainian reserves were previously redeployed to Pokrovske.

▪️ From the Zaporozhye front, the  Дневник Десантника (https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika) reports that our troops are clearing Mala Tokmachka near Orikhov (an important logistical and strategic settlement for Ukrainian forces).

▪️ In the Kherson region, in Dobroselie of the Aleshkinsky municipal district, a man was wounded due to a targeted strike by a Ukrainian drone. Strikes were recorded in Aleshky, Dnipryany, Kakhovka, Korsunka, Lyubymivka, Nova Mayachka, Nova Kakhovka, and Proletarka.

Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-situation-in-ukrainian-smo-on_18.html