In today’s No Filter Ukraine, we cover the key stories from Thursday, December 18, 2025. Russia launched another wave of drones, with damage and injuries reported in Cherkasy and Kryvyi Rih, and a deadly strike in Odesa region where a civilian car was hit on a bridge—killing a 43-year-old mother and injuring her three children. On the фронт, fighting stayed intense, especially in the Pokrovsk direction. In Kyiv, parliament backed a plan for special leave for people released from captivity. In the economy, officials outlined a VAT timetable for small businesses and expanded how winter support payments and cashback can be used for everyday purchases. Internationally, the EU discussed a “reparations loan” linked to frozen Russian assets, and Germany announced an additional €70 million in winter support. We end with a positive Fact of the Day about demining progress and farmland returning to work.