Explosion reported in Russian-occupied Melitopol

The SBU's Alpha Special Operations Center's drones hit a gas turbine unit at the Rakushechnoe deposit at the platform run by Russian oil giant Lukoil, the source said.

"There are sometimes difficult moments in our societies, but as presidents, we must define policies that keep us united. Without our independence, Moscow will inevitably push further into Europe and will come for Poland," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in Warsaw.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 19 that Ukraine knows where the Oreshnik would be deployed in Belarus and is sharing this information with its Western allies.

In "a new unprecedented special operation" in neutral waters more than 2,000 kilometers from Ukraine, Russia's QENDIL tanker sustained "critical damage" and can no longer be used for its intended purpose, the source claimed.

Ukraine will conduct necessary examinations to identify the bodies, which Russia says belong to Ukrainian soldiers, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported.

European leaders have approved an interest-free loan for Ukraine, providing a financial lifeline and securing a large portion of the cash-strapped country's financing needs for the next two years.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed into law a $900 billion defense spending bill on Dec. 18, approving a sweeping package that includes $800 million in military assistance for Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Dec. 18 that he hopes Ukraine will move quickly amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war.

A Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopter crew was killed in combat, the 12th Separate Army Aviation Brigade reported Dec. 18. "This is an irreparable loss for our aviation, for our country, and for the families who were waiting for their loved ones at home," the brigade said.

Democratic members of the U.S. Congress released additional photos from the Jeffrey Epstein estate on Dec. 18, including images of a Ukrainian woman's passport.

The fund's board of directors reached final consensus on several administrative steps on Dec. 18, paving the way for the fund to accept investments starting in early 2026.

A Russian strike drone hit a civilian car traveling across a bridge in Odesa Oblast on Dec. 18, killing a woman and injuring her three children, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper said.