ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 18, 2026

Key Takeaways from the ISW: Russian Chief of the General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov again aggrandized Russian battlefield advances in Donetsk Oblast on July 18, but several of his claims are not corroborated by any available evidence. Continued Ukrainian strikes against vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov are reportedly compelling Russian forces to divert Russian elite drone units from the frontline and are hampering Russian energy and agricultural logistics. Ukrainian forces struck two logistics facilities of Russia’s largest online retailer Wildberries (roughly equivalent to Russia’s version of Amazon) overnight on July 17 to 18, causing significant damage to the facilities. Mykolaiv Oblast Military Administration Head Vitaly Kim resigned from his post on July 17. Ukrainian