[Korrespondent] The Russian occupiers are concentrating their main efforts on the Lyman and Pokrov directions in the Donetsk region.
Since the beginning of the current day, Russian invaders have attacked Ukrainian army positions 55 times. Most of the fighting is ongoing in four directions, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in an operational summary on Thursday, June 18.
Thus, one battle took place in the North Slobozhansk and Kursk directions.
In the South Slobozhansky direction, the invaders twice tried to break through the defenses in the Lyman area and towards Izbitsky. One battle is ongoing.
In the Kupyansk direction, our defenders stopped two enemy attempts to advance towards Radkivka and Kolisnykivka.
In the Lyman direction, soldiers repelled 11 attempts by the invaders to advance towards the settlements of Shyykivka, Stavky, Drobysheve, Lyman and in the areas of the settlements of Novoselivka, Derylove, Zarichne, and Yampil. Four clashes are ongoing.
In the Slavyansk direction, the Defense Forces stopped five attempts by the invaders to advance towards the settlements of Rai-Oleksandrivka, Kryva Luka, and in the area of ​​Zakitne and Kalenykiv. One clash is still ongoing.
In the Kramatorsk direction, the Russian invaders carried out one attack towards Malynivka.
In the Kostyantynivka direction, our defenders repelled nine attacks near the settlements of Pleshchiivka, Kostyantynivka, and Illinivka. One clash is currently ongoing.
In the Pokrovsky direction, the invaders tried 11 times to push our soldiers out of the occupied positions in the areas of the settlements of Novooleksandrivka, Kotlyne, Udachne, Novomykolaivka, Filiya and towards the settlements of Bilytske, Dorozhne, Shevchenko, Serhiivka. One battle is ongoing.
In the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy attacked once towards Oleksandrograd.
In the Hulyaipil direction, the Armed Forces of Ukraine successfully repelled nine attacks in the direction of Dobropil, Hulyaipil, and Girky. Two clashes are ongoing.
In the Orikhiv direction, our defenders stopped three assaults in the Stepnohirsk area.
The enemy did not conduct offensive operations in the Dnieper direction.
We will remind you that since the beginning of 2026, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have liberated 590 sq. km of territory from Russian invaders. Such data was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The head of state also stated that Russia has begun to lose the initiative on the battlefield, which opens up an opportunity for a diplomatic settlement of the war. There is now a "window" for negotiations, he believes.