23 June 2026

Archived edition

Lithuania

Summary

In Vilnius, Inga Ruginienė’s government resigns today, and President Gitanas Nausėda is due to present Mindaugas Sinkevičius as prime minister on Thursday. The handover follows last week’s ethics ruling that Ruginienė gravely breached conflict-of-interest rules by signing orders covering family trips to the Olympics in Italy and to the Vatican.

In parliament, a Defence Ministry plan to compensate direct property damage caused by lawful military force remains in focus. The draft, already backed by the Seimas National Security and Defence Committee, covers cases tied to illegal migration, balloon-borne smuggling and drones entering Lithuanian airspace, with claims to be filed within three years. The state would be able to spread payments over up to 10 years. At the Belarus border, border guards turned away 13 irregular migrants over the past day, while six more migrants were detained on the Lithuania-Poland frontier.

Vilnius today opens the first European 4x4 wheelchair handball championship at the NBA Basketball School arena. Lithuania secured the event after a 2024 decision to stage the tournament there, and Europe will crown its first champion in the format when it ends.

In a major narcotics case now sent to court, Vilnius police seized about 20 kg of cannabis this year, while the file also cites 3 kg of cocaine intended for the Lithuanian market. Investigators say the drugs were moved from abroad and split across several people and vehicles, and the defendants face lengthy prison terms and asset confiscation. In Jonava, prosecutors are pursuing an attempted murder case after an intoxicated suspect fired at an officer at least three times on June 15. Historian Saulius Sužiedėlis said today he feels not guilt but shame over Lithuanians’ participation in the Holocaust.

Lithuanian volunteer Ignas Kailius was killed in Ukraine. He had previously been reported missing.

sources: delfi.lt, tv3.lt, vz.lt, 15min.lt, lrytas.lt, lrt.lt

Parliament approved creation of compensation system for damages caused by lawful military force

On June 17, the Seimas National Security and Defence Committee backed a Defence Ministry plan to create a compensation scheme for direct property damage caused by lawful military force. The draft covers cases linked to countering illegal migration, balloon-based smuggling and drones crossing Lithuanian airspace, with claims to be filed within three years. If the full parliament signs off, the law would take effect on August 1, 2026, and the state could spread payments over as long as 10 years before seeking recourse from those whose actions triggered the use of force.

Why it matters

Homeowners and companies could be reimbursed if their property is damaged during military or air-defence operations. A clear payout framework should reduce disputes and let the state act faster when threats have to be dealt with in minutes.

sources:lrytas.lt

Technology

Get ready: a historic space event will begin in Lithuania and Europe

Vilnius hosts the first European 4x4 wheelchair handball championship on June 23 at the NBA Basketball School arena. The event follows the 2024 decision to stage the tournament in Lithuania and brings the sport to a new continental level. When it ends, Europe will have its first champion in the format and a clearer path for future editions.

Why it matters

Lithuania’s disabled sports community gets its first continental showcase at home. That can pull in new players, sponsors and future host cities for the format.

sources:delfi.lt

Crime

Major drug case: 20 kg of cannabis and 3 kg of cocaine shipped to Lithuania

Vilnius police seized about 20 kg of cannabis from two men this year, and the case file also cites 3 kg of cocaine intended for the Lithuanian market. Investigators say the drugs were moved from abroad and split across several people and vehicles to reduce exposure. Prosecutors have now sent the case to court, where the defendants face long prison terms and asset confiscation.

Why it matters

Cases of this size point to organised supply lines feeding the Lithuanian market, and a single seizure can take tens of thousands of doses off the street. The trial will also decide whether prosecutors can permanently take vehicles and other assets tied to the operation.

sources:tv3.lt 15min.lt

Crime

Shooting of pensioner in Anykščiai district – officials explain when police can use a gun

On June 15, police in Jonava responded to a report about a dangerous man when an intoxicated suspect threatened officers with a gun and fired at one of them at least three times, prompting prosecutors to open a case on attempted murder of a state official. Lawyers are now spelling out that police can use a service weapon only when there is an unavoidable threat to life or health and lesser measures have failed. The case is being judged not just on the shooting itself, but on whether officers had any realistic alternative to stop the suspect.

Why it matters

The case could shape how Lithuanian police judge the threshold for using a gun during dangerous arrests. That affects both officer safety and how quickly officers will act when confronting an armed suspect.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

Sužiedėlis on Lithuanians' participation in the Holocaust: I don't feel guilt—I feel shame

Sužiedėlis said on June 23 that he does not feel guilt over Lithuanians' role in the Holocaust, but shame. His remarks landed in a debate over how to describe local participation in the Nazi genocide, where historians distinguish between German organisers and Lithuanian collaborators. Lithuania still maintains databases and memorial work on Holocaust victims, underscoring how unfinished the reckoning remains.

Why it matters

Jewish communities and Holocaust educators care less about the phrasing than about what it means for school curricula, museum narratives and public commemoration. The way Lithuania frames local responsibility will shape how clearly younger audiences understand the role of collaborators in the 1941-44 killings.

sources:lrt.lt

Politics

Inga Rugienė's Government to resign on Tuesday

Inga Ruginienė’s government is expected to resign in Vilnius on June 23, clearing the way for a handover to Mindaugas Sinkevičius. The move follows last week’s ruling by Lithuania’s ethics watchdog that Ruginienė had severely violated conflict-of-interest rules by signing orders covering family trips to the Olympics in Italy and to the Vatican. After the cabinet steps down, President Gitanas Nausėda is expected to ask Ruginienė to stay on in a caretaker role for at least several weeks while a new government is formed.

Why it matters

A caretaker government limits how far ministers can go on major decisions, so policy work may slow across key ministries. It also starts a fresh countdown for coalition talks, since the president must appoint an interim leader and oversee formation of a new cabinet.

sources:delfi.lt tv3.lt

Europe

Summary

Zaporizhzhia region came under 359 Russian strikes in the past 24 hours, wounding 40 people across 13 settlements. Regional chief Ivan Fedorov said the attacks around Zaporizhzhia, Stepnohirsk and Huliaipole involved air strikes, drones and artillery.

Ukraine said its air defences shot down or jammed 118 Russian drones overnight. Kyiv said some were decoys launched from several directions, and officials are still assessing damage to energy and civilian infrastructure. In Odesa, a Russian drone attack overnight killed one woman, and emergency crews are still checking the impact sites for further casualties and damage. Ukrainian forces also said about 250 clashes were recorded across the front near Pokrovsk over the past day, even as Estonian military intelligence had earlier said Russia gained only 15 square kilometres in a week.

Russian drones today destroyed the 19th-century Donciv-Zakharzhevsky estate in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. Local officials said the fire burned for hours and the loss of one of the area’s rare pre-revolution heritage buildings is total. Over the past day, the Kremlin rejected Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s warning to Alexander Lukashenko and said Belarus was already part of Russia’s security architecture.

In Finland, Valmet Automotive is preparing to build hundreds of Patria 6x6 armoured vehicles a year. The move expands Nordic defence manufacturing capacity as the region accelerates military production.

Russian strikes in Ukraine killed at least nine people, while shelling in Kherson separately left one man dead. At the same time, Hungary is slowing Ukraine and Moldova’s accession process to the European Union, Politico reported.

sources: 15min.lt, delfi.lt, vz.lt, tv3.lt, lrytas.lt

Over 1,000 strikes per day: Mass Russian attack in the Zaporizhzhia region

Zaporizhzhia regional military chief Ivan Fedorov said on June 22 that the region came under 359 Russian strikes in 24 hours, leaving 40 people wounded. The attacks hit 13 settlements, including areas around Zaporizhzhia, Stepnohirsk and Huliaipole, using airstrikes, drones and artillery. Kyiv says Russia is intensifying pressure along the southern Zaporizhzhia front, where civilian infrastructure has been taking repeated damage in recent weeks.

Why it matters

People in Zaporizhzhia region are living under repeated direct fire, and the 40 wounded show the strikes are hitting civilian areas, not just the frontline. The scale of the bombardment forces local services to divert more medics, rescuers and evacuation assets to the south of the region.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

Russians stubbornly pursue one goal on the front

Ukrainian forces said Russian troops kept up pressure along the Pokrovsk axis on June 22, with roughly 250 clashes reported across the front. Estonia's military intelligence said on June 16 that Russia had captured only 15 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory in a week, despite the high tempo of fighting. The picture points to a war of attrition, with Moscow still probing for gains in the east but not breaking through.

Why it matters

Pokrovsk matters because it sits on key roads and supply lines in Donetsk region. If Russia keeps trading heavy losses for tiny advances, the war drags on and the strain rises on Ukraine's army and on allied weapons stockpiles.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Russians attack Odesa with drones, a woman dies

Russian drones hit Odesa overnight on June 23, killing one woman, Ukrainian officials said. The Black Sea city has been repeatedly targeted in recent weeks, with strikes damaging homes, a maternity ward and other civilian sites. Emergency crews are now checking the blast zone for further casualties and damage.

Why it matters

For Odesa residents, it means another night in shelters and more damage to housing that must be repaired after repeated strikes. It also keeps emergency crews and medics on high alert across southern Ukraine.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

We lost it forever: Russian strike destroys a unique estate in Ukraine

On June 23, 2026, Russian drones destroyed the 19th-century Donciv-Zakharzhevsky estate in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, a listed architectural monument. The mansion was built in the first quarter of the 19th century and completed around 1835, making it one of the area’s rare pre-revolution heritage buildings. Fire crews battled the blaze for hours, but the structure could not be saved, and local officials said the losses are total.

Why it matters

Heritage sites in Kharkiv region are exposed because they sit in populated areas targeted by drones and missiles. The loss means not only destroyed architecture, but also higher restoration costs and fewer local cultural and tourism assets to recover after the war.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

Ukraine's air defense neutralized 118 Russian drones

Ukraine said its air defences shot down or jammed 118 Russian drones in an overnight attack on June 23. The drones came in from several directions, including decoys designed to overwhelm air defences. Kyiv says the strikes are aimed at energy and civilian infrastructure, and officials are now assessing damage and disruptions across the affected regions.

Why it matters

For Ukrainian civilians, it means another night of air raid alerts and the risk of power, communications or water outages if even a few drones get through. The larger the drone salvo, the more strain it puts on air defences and the higher the chance that infrastructure well behind the front is hit.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

War in Ukraine: Kremlin responds to Zelenskiy's ultimatum to Belarus

On June 19, Volodymyr Zelensky publicly warned Alexander Lukashenko over Belarus's role in the war and said Ukraine would respond to any new pressure from that direction. Between June 19 and June 22, the Kremlin replied that Zelensky's warnings would not change Moscow's plans and that Belarus was already part of Russia's security architecture. The exchange came after Kyiv reported heavier Russian military movement near the northern border in recent weeks, while Minsk denied preparing a new offensive.

Why it matters

Ukrainian civilians in the north remain exposed because any Belarusian involvement would shorten the flight path for missiles and drones into major cities. For European security planners, it means air defences and reinforcements have to be held not just in the east, but along the Belarus axis as well.

sources:delfi.lt 15min.lt

World

Summary

Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland dominated the World Cup today, scoring all 13 goals across six matches. Messi also became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history, while France crushed Iraq and secured a place in the knockout stage. Iraq’s run ended in Group I, which also includes Senegal and Norway.

A U.N. rights panel in Geneva said Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the threshold of genocide. The experts cited bombardment, mass displacement, aid restrictions and the destruction of much of Gaza’s housing, hospitals and water infrastructure since October 2023. A separate U.N. investigation today said Israel’s deliberate targeting of children forms part of the genocide in Gaza.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said today that Tehran will administer the Strait of Hormuz after implementation of the U.S.-Iran deal agreed in Switzerland. Mediators have set a 60-day road map toward a final accord, and Washington and Tehran are forming working groups on the nuclear programme and sanctions. The United States has also allowed Iran to sell oil for two months and receive payment in dollars. Even so, Vice President J.D. Vance said today the sides remain divided over nuclear inspectors, and the IAEA still lacks access to enrichment sites hit by U.S. strikes.

Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel Katz said today that the Israeli army will keep operating in southern Lebanon without restrictions and stay there as long as needed. Israel and Lebanon also resumed talks in Washington, while Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem urged Beirut to abandon the direct channel. In Russia, Oleg Kashin’s case has returned to view as pressure on independent reporters again centres on coverage of Vladimir Putin’s family and private life. In Montreal, three people were killed in a gunfight, including a police officer.

Lebanon and Israel held a fifth round of U.S.-mediated talks. At the same time, the U.N. maritime agency is starting the evacuation of about 11,000 sailors stranded in the Persian Gulf.

sources: delfi.lt, tv3.lt, 15min.lt, lrytas.lt, lrt.lt, vz.lt

Dead journalist who exposed Putin's intimate secret: he did not forgive him

The Kremlin has long put pressure on independent Russian reporters, and this case has brought Oleg Kashin back into focus. Kashin has described harassment after his reporting, while several opposition outlets have been forced to shut down or suspend publication in recent years. The wider backdrop is a media environment in which reporting on Vladimir Putin’s family or private life can carry political risk.

Why it matters

Independent Russian media still operates in an environment where reporting on the president’s family can carry risks to safety, jobs and freedom. That narrows scrutiny of the Kremlin and makes verified information harder to publish and spread.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

UN report: Israel continues genocide in Gaza

A U.N. rights panel told the Human Rights Council in Geneva on June 18 that Israel’s actions in Gaza meet the threshold of genocide, citing bombardment, mass displacement and restrictions on aid. The panel also said much of Gaza’s housing, hospitals and water infrastructure has been destroyed since the war began in October 2023. The report now moves into the council’s political arena, where it can feed pressure for accountability steps and fresh diplomatic splits.

Why it matters

For Gaza’s civilians, the report could affect the flow of aid, the shape of ceasefire talks and the pace of international legal action. For European capitals, it raises immediate pressure over arms policy, sanctions and voting lines at the United Nations.

sources:delfi.lt lrytas.lt

Politics

Netanyahu frees up his army in Lebanon: no restrictions

On June 23, 2026, Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Israeli army would keep operating in southern Lebanon without restrictions and stay there as long as needed. The remarks came as Israel and Lebanon resumed talks in Washington, while Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem urged Beirut to drop the direct channel. Israel says the campaign is aimed at removing threats along the border, while Lebanon still demands a full Israeli withdrawal from the south.

Why it matters

For civilians in southern Lebanon, the message points to more time under military pressure, with movement, farming and returns to border villages still constrained. The Washington talks will show whether the two sides can agree on a withdrawal timetable or leave the frontier in a state of armed stalemate.

sources:15min.lt delfi.lt

Politics

Mixed signals from the US and Iran: has nuclear inspections deal been reached?

On June 23, 2026, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said negotiators are still split over nuclear inspectors in Iran, even as the technical team keeps working on a war-ending deal. Tehran has not allowed inspectors into the enrichment sites hit by U.S. strikes, while Washington wants the IAEA to regain access before any final signature. Oversight remains incomplete because Iran has only granted limited entry to some nuclear facilities in recent weeks.

Why it matters

Inspector access will determine whether Iran’s enrichment capacity can actually be verified after the strikes. If the IAEA does not get full entry, sanctions relief and the security deal remain fragile, and the nuclear standoff could quickly flare again.

sources:lrt.lt

Sports

France crushes Iraq to reach the World Cup knockout stage

France beat Iraq at the World Cup on June 23, 2026 and moved into the knockout rounds. LRT said Iraq are in Group I with France, Senegal and Norway, while France had been carrying strong form into the tournament. France now play for a place in the quarter-finals, while Iraq's campaign ends in the group stage.

Why it matters

Iraq are out, which leaves the squad with no route to the quarter-finals and brings the focus back to club football for many players. For France, the win buys rest, rhythm and a cleaner path into the next round.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Iranian diplomat's statement after agreement with U.S. on Tehran-administered Hormuz

Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on June 23 that Tehran will administer the Strait of Hormuz after returning from talks in Switzerland on implementing a U.S.-Iran deal. Mediators have already outlined a 60-day road map toward a final agreement and set up a communication line to prevent incidents in the chokepoint. Washington is now pressing Gulf partners on how shipping security and regional guarantees would work if the accord holds.

Why it matters

A large share of global oil and LNG flows through Hormuz, so any expansion of Tehran's role feeds straight into fuel prices and shipping insurance costs in Europe. If the deal unravels, tanker operators and buyers will quickly price in fresh risk on routes through the Gulf.

sources:tv3.lt