25 June 2026

Archived edition

Lithuania

Summary

Russia’s defence ministry has added two Vilnius-registered companies, HaKi and Kort, to a list of firms it says support Ukrainian attack-drone production. The listed addresses in Vilnius point to an office building, and Lithuania’s foreign ministry called the move part of a broader hostile campaign against Lithuania and the Baltic states.

Gitanas Nausėda travels to Gdansk today for a Ukraine reconstruction conference with regional partners. Lithuania is pushing to widen the agenda to include defence industry, energy and Ukraine’s integration into the European market. Lithuania has already allocated €75mn from a planned €150mn package to Ukraine’s demining fund, and some equipment and protective gear has already been delivered.

In Klaipėda, a vessel at anchor demonstrates strong US commitment to Lithuania’s security, according to the US ambassador. Attention has also turned to a Lithuanian volunteer killed in Ukraine while serving alongside other foreign fighters.

Police and firefighters recorded a string of deaths across Lithuania over the past day. Bodies were found in Kaunas, Vilkaviškis, Ignalina and Lazdijai districts, three people were recovered from water in Joniškis, Kaunas and Akmenė districts, two more bodies were pulled from Visaginas Lake and the Nevėžis river, and human remains were found in a swamp near Pagėgiai. A Kaunas court this week ruled in a case linking alleged gang figures to an explosion at the family home of Henrikas Daktaras and to two planned murders. Prosecutors have also sent to court a case involving nearly 21 kilograms of cocaine tied to a cross-border trafficking chain.

In the economy, Lithuania’s labour market remains strong in 2026, with record employment and continued wage growth.

A drone attack halted Lukoil’s largest oil refinery in Russia. In Lithuania, four people drowned over the Joninės holiday and firefighters tackled 68 blazes. Social Democrat Tadas Jakučionis said the new government could replace at least six or seven ministers.

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

Dron factory hidden in Vilnius under GRU agents' target

On April 16, Russia’s defence ministry published a list of European firms it accused of supporting Ukrainian attack-drone production and named two companies registered in Vilnius, HaKi and Kort. The addresses listed in Vilnius point to an office building, not a factory site, and the companies are linked in reporting to drone engines and other components. Lithuania’s foreign ministry said the move was part of a broader hostile campaign against Lithuania and the Baltic states, driven by unfounded claims that their airspace is being used for strikes on Russia.

Why it matters

Vilnius-based defence suppliers now have to factor in physical-security risks, not just commercial ones. Once addresses are published, landlords, staff and business partners face more exposure, while authorities may need to step up protection against surveillance and potential provocations.

sources:lrt.lt

Crime

Kaunas mafia wars: gang involved in explosions and two planned murders

Kaunas court this week ruled in a case linking alleged gang figures to an explosion at the family home of Henrikas Daktaras and to two separate planned killings. The case sits inside a wider criminal record in which courts have already found the group operated in an organised way and used guns and explosives. The latest move shows prosecutors are still rebuilding the old Kaunas gang wars case by case, even years after the violence first erupted.

Why it matters

The case matters because it ties old Kaunas organised-crime feuds to current prosecutions and could lead to fresh sentences or custody for people linked to the gangs. For victims and witnesses, it means another court round over violence whose fallout in Kaunas has lasted for years.

sources:lrytas.lt

Crime

Court handed case over possession of nearly 21 kilograms of cocaine

Lithuanian prosecutors have sent to court a case involving nearly 21 kilograms of cocaine. The file was split off from a wider investigation, and investigators say the drugs were tied to a cross-border trafficking chain. The defendant faces prison for possession and transport of a very large quantity of narcotics.

Why it matters

Cases of this size matter to customs, border police and port security, because nearly 21 kilograms points to an organised supply chain rather than street-level use. A conviction could also help investigators map the wider network and trace other people in the chain.

sources:lrytas.lt

Crime

Bodies of men found in Kaunas district and Vilkaviškis district near a forest

On June 25, police found the decomposed body of a man born in 1965 in a house in Kuro village in Kaunas district, and the body of a woman born in 1952 in open ground in Janaukos village in Vilkaviškis district. Investigators have opened separate inquiries to establish the causes of death and are checking all possibilities. The same day, police also reported bodies found in Ignalina and Lazdijai districts, adding to a cluster of death investigations across the country.

Why it matters

The cases leave local residents waiting for forensic answers on identity and cause of death. When bodies are found in a decomposed state, checks take longer and investigators also have to assess any health or safety risks around the scene.

sources:15min.lt

Environment

Tragic Midsummer: firefighters rescue three drowns

Firefighters recovered three bodies from water in Lithuania on June 25, in the Joniškis, Kaunas and Akmenė districts. In Akmenė district, divers found one person in Pragalvis pond in Kadagiai village, about 20 metres from the shore and four metres deep. The Fire and Rescue Department has said June is one of the deadliest months in water, with an average of 24 drownings recovered over a five-year period.

Why it matters

Early summer brings more unsupervised swimming at ponds and lakes, which raises the risk for families, especially in rural districts. Each incident also pulls divers and rescue crews into multiple callouts on the same day, stretching emergency services across several municipalities.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

President Gitanas Nausėda to attend Ukraine reconstruction conference in Gdansk

On June 25, 2026, Gitanas Nausėda will travel to Gdansk for a Ukraine reconstruction conference with regional partners focused on financing and project coordination. In recent months, Lithuania has pushed the reconstruction agenda to cover defence industry, energy and Ukraine’s path into the European market, with Nausėda arguing that the goal is not just to repair war damage but to build a stronger economy. The Gdansk talks are expected to produce fresh pledges on investment, infrastructure and security projects that will feed directly into Ukraine’s recovery.

Why it matters

Ukrainian municipalities and energy companies need hard commitments and contractors, because the pace of grid, water and transport repairs depends on them. For regional states, it also opens up contracts in construction, engineering and defence supply chains.

sources:15min.lt tv3.lt

Europe

Summary

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today that Russia is moving some air-defence systems to Moscow, Valdai and other high-value sites after Ukrainian long-range drone strikes. A day earlier, Ukraine said it had hit a gas processing plant and two satellite communications centres inside Russia, and Zelenskyy said Moscow had also redeployed defences to protect the Kerch bridge in occupied Crimea.

Crimea was hit by Ukrainian drones over the past day, knocking out power in several towns and forcing the closure of the Kerch bridge. Ukrainian defence officials said the attack struck a fuel terminal, a power substation and a gas distribution site, while Russian-installed authorities reported fires and outages across the peninsula. Russia and Crimea also reported five deaths today in the wider wave of raids. In Russia’s Tyumen region, an oil depot caught fire today after a night-time drone strike, adding to recent attacks on oil facilities in Krasnodar region and near Moscow.

In Vienna yesterday, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence sees Russia preparing a new mass strike and urged partners not to delay air-defence deals. Iran warned today that ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz without permission could be detained, even after the waterway reopened to commercial shipping last week under a US-Iran deal. The European Union this month paid Ukraine nearly 2.8 billion euros under the Ukraine Facility, and Brussels expects the next disbursement cycle to begin before the end of the month. Extreme heat is set to affect about 94 million people across Europe in the coming days.

Russia launched a ballistic missile strike on Kyiv late on Tuesday. At the same time, Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Belarus was expanding military infrastructure near Ukraine’s border and must stop.

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

Volodymyr Zelensky: after drone strikes Russia moves air defense to Moscow and other key sites

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on June 25 that Russia is shifting part of its air defenses to Moscow, Valdai and other high-value sites after Ukrainian long-range drone strikes. A day earlier, Ukraine said it had hit a gas processing plant and two satellite communications centres inside Russia, while Zelenskyy said Moscow had also redeployed systems to protect the Kerch bridge in occupied Crimea. Russia has not publicly confirmed the scale of the move, but the shift suggests the Kremlin is concentrating defenses around a handful of prized targets.

Why it matters

By concentrating air defenses around Moscow, the Kerch bridge and Putin’s residence area, Russia leaves more exposed targets elsewhere, including energy and logistics sites. Ukraine’s drone campaign can keep disrupting transport, communications and fuel supplies even if the capital gets more protection.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

War in Ukraine. Explosions in Crimea: towns left without power after drone strikes

Ukrainian drones struck occupied Crimea overnight on June 23, leaving several towns without electricity and forcing a closure of the Kerch bridge. Ukrainian defense officials said the attack hit a fuel terminal, a power substation and a gas distribution site, while local Russian-installed authorities reported fires and outages. The strike added to a broader campaign aimed at Crimea’s energy and transport infrastructure, which has already pushed the occupation authorities to curb civilian petrol sales.

Why it matters

For residents in occupied Crimea, the attack means more disruption to power and fuel supplies during the peak summer season. For Russia’s military and occupation authorities, repeated strikes on energy and transport nodes make it harder to keep the peninsula supplied and functioning.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Iran warns ships sailing through Hormuz without permission

On June 25, 2026, Iran warned that vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz without permission could be detained, as maritime monitors said access to the lane remains tightly controlled. The warning comes after the strait was reopened to commercial shipping last week under a US-Iran deal to end the Middle East war, but ship operators still say the rules are unclear and some sailings remain risky. In early April, Iran said transit requests must be filed at least 48 hours before a vessel reaches the strait.

Why it matters

A large share of global oil and gas flows through Hormuz, so any new permit regime can raise freight insurance costs and disrupt tanker schedules in the Persian Gulf. Every extra inspection or detention threat feeds straight into supply chains for Europe and Asia.

sources:delfi.lt

Economy

EU paid Ukraine three billion euros

The EU paid Ukraine nearly 2.8 billion euros on June 8 under the Ukraine Facility, after Kyiv met 11 reforms tied to the instalment. The money is part of a 90 billion euro EU support loan for 2026-27 that Brussels says will help cover budget and defence needs. On June 18, EU leaders said they expect the first 2026 disbursement from that loan before the end of the month, putting the next payment cycle in motion.

Why it matters

Ukraine relies on this money to keep the state running during the war, including wages, pensions and basic public services. Because each instalment is tied to reforms, the cash arrives only when Kyiv completes specific changes in public finances and governance.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Zelenskiy warns Russia: new strikes are being prepared

Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in Vienna on June 24 that Ukrainian intelligence sees Russia preparing a new mass strike, and urged partners not to delay air-defence deals. He also discussed next steps with foreign minister Andrii Sybiha, with Kyiv pushing for more sanctions pressure on Moscow. Ukraine now expects fresh allied decisions in the coming weeks as it braces for another wave of missiles and drones against its cities.

Why it matters

Ukrainian civilians depend on air alerts and air defence to limit deaths, outages and hospital strain if a new strike comes. For European partners, the warning raises pressure to move faster on systems and ammunition, because delay directly increases the damage Ukraine can absorb.

sources:tv3.lt

Energy

Russia oil base catches fire after strike

A fire broke out at an oil depot in Russia's Tyumen region on June 25 after a ночt-time Ukrainian drone strike, and local officials also reported one person killed in the wider wave of attacks. It was the latest hit on Russian energy infrastructure far from the front line, following strikes on June 21 and June 18 that damaged or set ablaze oil facilities in the Krasnodar region, Tyumen and near Moscow. Moscow keeps trying to contain the damage, but the attacks show Ukraine can still reach key refining and storage nodes deep inside Russia.

Why it matters

Russia's fuel logistics take another hit because the strikes are repeatedly landing on sites that feed both the domestic market and military supply chains. The energy sector also faces higher security, insurance and repair costs, which can disrupt local fuel flows even if only temporarily.

sources:tv3.lt

World

Summary

Venezuela said at least 164 people were killed and 971 injured after two powerful earthquakes. The worst damage was in La Guaira state north of Caracas, where rescuers pulled three children alive from rubble and kept searching collapsed homes and public buildings. Western Venezuela was hit over the past day by quakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5, and authorities declared a state of emergency in several districts. Officials shut Simon Bolivar International Airport, suspended classes for several days and inspected roads, bridges and power lines needed for evacuations and aid access.

In Russia, Vladimir Putin said in Moscow on Thursday that Ukrainian drone strikes on oil infrastructure over the past three months had succeeded in destabilising society. Fuel shortages were reported across Russia, Crimea has capped civilian fuel sales since June 21 and queues formed at Moscow petrol stations after attacks on refineries and logistics routes. Over the past few days, Russian air defences said they had shot down 301 Ukrainian drones, and all four Moscow airports briefly suspended flights. Moscow has since reinforced air defences around the capital and other key sites.

US markets are waiting for Jerome Powell’s comments today, which could determine whether the first Federal Reserve rate cut begins in summer or slips into autumn. Investors have leaned on softer US inflation and labour data, but Fed officials remain divided over how quickly to ease policy. In Washington, the Senate backed Donald Trump’s position on war powers over Iran, while Trump asked Congress for about $88 billion, mostly for the war with Iran. In sport, South Africa reached the next stage of the World Cup in a historic result, and Mexico won for a third time to knock the Czech Republic out.

Russia launched another ballistic missile attack on Kyiv, with explosions heard across the city. In the Strait of Hormuz, an unknown projectile struck a ship.

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

Chaos in Venezuela: 32 killed, 700 injured, US sends aid

A pair of strong earthquakes hit Venezuela on Wednesday evening, killing at least 164 people and injuring 971, acting president Delcy Rodríguez said on Thursday. The worst damage was reported in La Guaira state, north of Caracas, where rescuers pulled three children alive from rubble and authorities sent in extra search teams from other parts of the country. Hundreds of buildings were damaged, and crews are still combing collapsed homes and public buildings for survivors.

Why it matters

Thousands of residents in La Guaira and around Caracas are now unable to return home, and many are left without stable power or access to intact neighborhoods. Damaged hospitals, roads and communications will slow rescue work and make it harder to deliver food, water and medical care.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

Alarm in Russia: rockets spotted flying toward Moscow; airports closed

On June 22, Russian air defences said they shot down 301 Ukrainian drones, and Moscow’s airports briefly suspended flights. The restrictions hit all four airports serving the capital, including Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky. Moscow has since been reinforcing air defences around the city and other key sites.

Why it matters

Passengers face delays and cancellations, while airlines have to reroute aircraft and crews at short notice. Russia also has to divert more air-defence assets to Moscow, which reduces the buffer available for other targets.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

In Russia lines at gas stations; Moscow drones strikes: is the Kremlin collapsing?

On June 25, Vladimir Putin acknowledged in Moscow that Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil infrastructure over the past three months had achieved the goal of destabilizing society. On the same day, Le Monde reported fuel shortages across Russia, while Crimea has capped civilian fuel sales since June 21 and is prioritizing essential services. The queues at Moscow petrol stations are now tied to a stepped-up campaign against refineries and logistics that is forcing the Kremlin to pull air defences toward the capital.

Why it matters

Fuel shortages hit motorists, haulage firms and regional budgets, with rationing already spreading beyond Crimea into many Russian regions. If Moscow keeps pulling air defences toward the capital, fewer systems will be available to protect other industrial sites and fuel assets.

sources:tv3.lt

Environment

Horrific aftermath: two powerful earthquakes shake Venezuela – what is known

Two strong earthquakes hit western Venezuela overnight on June 25, and authorities declared a state of emergency in several districts. The tremors were felt across nearby areas, forcing some public buildings to close while inspectors assessed damage. Officials are now checking roads, bridges and power lines, which will determine how quickly evacuees and aid can move in and out of the hardest-hit zones.

Why it matters

Residents in Zulia and nearby districts now need water, electricity and safe shelter first. If roads or bridges are damaged, aid to remote communities can be delayed and hospitals may have to fall back on backup generators.

sources:15min.lt lrytas.lt

Environment

Two strong earthquakes shake Venezuela: buildings collapse, worst feared

Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within about a minute of each other on June 24, 2026, toppling buildings and rattling Caracas and other cities. The US Geological Survey said the tremors measured 7.2 and 7.5, and were felt as far away as Brazil’s Amazon, roughly 1,700 km from the capital. Venezuelan authorities shut Simón Bolívar International Airport and suspended classes for several days while crews assess damage to buildings and transport links.

Why it matters

Closing the main airport can disrupt passenger and cargo flows, while the suspension of classes shows authorities are first checking schools and public buildings for safety. If critical infrastructure is damaged, the shock can spread quickly to trade, supply lines and emergency response across several states.

sources:tv3.lt delfi.lt 15min.lt

Economy

Fed chair may trigger dramatic shift – are we on the threshold of a new era?

Markets are waiting for Jerome Powell’s June 25 comments, which could decide whether the first Fed rate cut slips into autumn or starts as early as summer. Investors have lately leaned on softer US inflation and labour signals, but Fed officials remain split on how fast to ease policy. Powell’s tone will move Treasury yields, the dollar and equities, and the ripple effect will be felt quickly across Europe’s markets and corporate borrowing costs.

Why it matters

Households with variable-rate loans and companies funding themselves in dollars or euros will feel any shift in US rate expectations through borrowing costs. A stronger dollar or higher Treasury yields can quickly spill into European equities and the Baltic capital market.

sources:vz.lt