Doped And Depleted: How Substance Abuse Is Becoming Kyiv’s Strategic Liability

Since September 2025, there has been an increased number of reports on substance use in the Ukrainian army. While combat drugs can be necessary in modern warfare, the current situation goes far beyond simple medical applications and enhancing soldiers’ performance on the battlefield.

The Russians are advancing. Ukrainian fighters are extremely tired and outnumbered, and they cannot see an end to this seemingly endless struggle. Many of them have already spent several years on the front line. In such circumstances, it is difficult to resist the temptation to take a single pill – or an injection – that will solve all your problems, at least for the time being. They take that pill for various reasons: to stay awake and alert on surveillance missions, to ease the pain of a new wound, to relax and forget the horrors, even if only for a few hours.

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Russian Army Advances Deep In Pokrovsk, As Kiev Forces Attack Civilians Fleeing

On October 18, the Russian military advanced in several parts of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk direction, amid what appears to be a collapse in Ukrainian defenses inside the city.

The Tsentr [Center] Group of Forces broke through Ukrainian defenses in the urban part of the city’s center, specifically in the Yuzhny microdistrict. Russian troops even managed to reach the city’s main train station, according to preliminary reports, which note that some of the newly-captured areas have not been cleared yet.

Advance was also reported in the western parts of Pokrovsk. Russian troops are said to have taken over the entrance of the city there, effectively cutting off the route leading to Andronivka.

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Squeezing The Bridgehead: Russian Forces Tighten Control Along Oskol River Near Kupyansk

Russian forces established control over Okhotniche on the Pokrovsk axis. Preparations are ongoing for an assault on Vovchanskie Khutora on the Kharkiv axis.

Austria has reversed its stance and is ready to support the 19th EU sanctions package.

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Ukraine Amid an Energy Crisis and Waning Western Support

On October 17-18, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continued with an exchange of strikes, a key feature of which was the record-breaking activity of Russian aviation in employing KAB guided aerial bombs. According to the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff, 268 instances of these munitions being used were recorded in a single day—an absolute maximum for 2025, significantly exceeding the previous record of 193 aerial bombs set in September.

The Russian side claims that during the strikes, it hit critical transport infrastructure facilities, defense industrial enterprises, a GUR drone operator training center, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) assembly workshop, an air defense radar station, and numerous Ukrainian unit deployment points—across 156 districts in total.

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Patriot Struck: Summary Of Russian Combat Footage From October 18, 2025

On October 18, several videos documenting some of the Russian military’s recent operations against Kiev forces surfaced online.

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Russian Army Captures Poltavka Amid Ukrainian Collapse, Advances Near Pokrovsk

On October 19, Ukrainian defenses along the Yanchur River in the Zaporozhye direction began to collapse with the Russian military taking over the key settlement of Poltavka.

The capture of Poltavka by the Vostok [East] Group of Forces was confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Other sources reported that Russian troops also took over Okhotnyche, located right to the north of the settlement along the Yanchur. In addition, the troops expanded their control around Malinivka, located to the south of Poltavka.

“The assault was complicated by the need to cross the river at several points along the front. But during a comprehensive fire strike on the enemy by aviation and artillery, as well as with the support of drone operators, the Far Eastern warriors liberated one of the largest settlements on the western bank of the Yanchur,” the Russian MoD said in a statement.

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