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Lithuania’s parliament today registered a proposal that would put the army chief in charge of securing the Seimas, the government and the presidential residence under martial law. Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas also tabled statute changes to spell out how parliament would convene during mobilisation or martial law, addressing legal gaps over how top state institutions would function in a crisis.
Air defence drills began on Monday at the Air Force base in Siauliai and will run until July 3. The exercise trains crews to detect targets, monitor airspace and maintain communications under electronic warfare conditions, with NATO platforms simulating jamming and GPS disruption. Lithuania’s military also received Finnish-made Sentry anti-tank mines in a 5.9 million euro purchase today. The delivery is part of a broader counter-mobility programme worth hundreds of millions over the next decade, with procurement handled through NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency.
A heatwave is driving electricity prices higher, and forecasters say another burst of extreme heat is approaching after the current hot spell. Border guards turned away 11 migrants at the Belarus border over the past day. Lithuania’s Court of Appeal is hearing Remigijus Zemaitaitis’s case today, with the lawmaker delivering his closing statement after a conviction for inciting hatred against Jews and downplaying the Holocaust. Fuel retailer Viada LT posted net profit of 7.65 million euros last year, paid 10 million euros in dividends and said cheaper oil and weaker margins in Lithuania and Poland reduced earnings.
A proposal would require a military commandant to secure government and other state institution buildings if martial law is declared. A fire broke out at the Vilnius cogeneration plant late in the evening, with workers starting efforts to contain it before firefighters arrived.
sources: vz.lt, 15min.lt, delfi.lt, lrt.lt, tv3.lt, lrytas.lt
Martial law is an emergency legal regime used when the state faces armed attack or an immediate military threat. It can change how institutions operate and gives the armed forces wider powers to defend the country and protect critical sites.
Lithuania’s military received Finnish-made Sentry anti-tank mines on June 29, in a purchase worth 5.9 million euros. The acquisition is part of a broader counter-mobility programme that Lithuania has budgeted in the hundreds of millions over the next decade. The Defence Ministry said the procurement runs through NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency, with Lithuanian firms also in the supplier pipeline.
Why it matters
The purchases shape how quickly the armed forces can lay obstacles along borders and training areas if they need to stop armoured vehicles. For domestic defence firms, it opens a route into longer NATO-linked supply chains instead of one-off orders.
Parliament on June 29 registered a proposal that would put the army chief in charge of securing the Seimas, the government and the presidential residence if martial law is declared. The draft is tied to a wider overhaul of wartime command lines, with parts of the security apparatus set to come under the armed forces chief. Lawmakers are also trying to clarify which units protect top state institutions and how continuity of government would be maintained in a crisis.
Why it matters
The change would affect how Lithuania keeps its top institutions operating in wartime, by putting their protection under a single command line. It would also reduce ambiguity over who guards government buildings if martial law is activated.
Air defence drills started at Šiauliai’s Air Force Aviation Base on Monday and will run until July 3. The Baltic airspace hub will train crews to monitor the sky, detect targets and keep communications running under electronic warfare conditions. NATO electronic warfare platforms will take part, simulating enemy jamming and GPS suppression.
Why it matters
Šiauliai’s air base is one of the key pillars of Lithuanian and NATO air defence, so the drills are about keeping crews effective when communications and navigation are compromised. That matters for civilians too, because it improves the speed and reliability of any response to airspace violations or electronic interference near the Baltic border.
On June 29, Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas proposed putting a dedicated procedure into the statute for how parliament would sit during mobilisation or martial law. A separate package presented the same day would order the military commander, once martial law is declared, to secure the Seimas, government buildings and the presidential residence, along with their grounds. The explanatory note says the current legal framework does not clearly single out the operating role of the president, parliament and government, leaving legal uncertainty and funding gaps in a crisis.
Why it matters
The change would set out how core state institutions keep operating in a crisis. If adopted, it would be clearer who secures parliament and the executive branch when normal procedures can no longer be relied on.
Viada LT earned 7.65 million euros in net profit in 2024 and paid 10 million euros in dividends to shareholders, even as revenue rose only to 926.4 million euros, according to its annual report. The company said cheaper oil and weaker fuel prices in Lithuania and Poland weighed on margins, leaving profit below the prior year. Viada runs about 130 stations in Lithuania, and its performance now hinges on fuel-price gaps across the Baltics and neighboring Poland.
Why it matters
Fuel prices still feed straight into drivers’ costs, because stations in Lithuania compete not just with each other but with cheaper fuel in Poland. When margins tighten, operators may lift pump prices faster, slow investment in new stations and curb wage growth for staff.
Remigijus Žemaitaitis will give his closing speech at Lithuania’s Court of Appeal on June 29, after a lower court convicted him in December and fined him 5,000 euros for inciting hatred against Jews and downplaying the Holocaust. The case centres on his 2023 posts and a speech, which the Vilnius Regional Court said demeaned Jews and grossly minimised Nazi crimes. After the closing arguments, the appeal court must decide whether to uphold the conviction or alter it.
Why it matters
The outcome matters because it will determine whether a sitting MP keeps a criminal conviction for public hate speech. It also has a direct bearing on Žemaitaitis’ political standing and the image of his party ahead of future coalition and parliamentary decisions.
Russian forces pushed deeper into Ukraine’s Kharkiv region today, with Moscow saying its troops were closing in on Kupyansk and Vovchansk. The fighting follows weeks of strikes on roads and rear routes linking Kharkiv and Sumy, key supply lines for Ukraine’s northeast front.
In Dnipro, five people were killed in a Russian missile strike on a mixed residential and industrial area, and rescuers were still searching rubble and evacuating survivors. Across Ukraine, the civilian toll from recent Russian strikes rose to 11 over the past day. Ukraine’s air defences shot down 82 of 108 drones launched by Russia overnight.
Crimea came under another Ukrainian drone attack on fuel infrastructure, prompting the Russian-installed authorities to declare a state of emergency. Sergei Aksyonov said fuel supply was now the peninsula’s toughest problem, and Vladimir Putin acknowledged today that shortages were spreading across Russia, with queues forming at petrol stations. Ukraine’s air force lost two MiG-29 fighters in less than 24 hours, one on a combat mission over Poltava region and another in a landing accident after a strike on an airfield, where a Geran-4 drone hit the aircraft on the ground.
In eastern Ukraine, Russia is still feeding poorly trained replacements into the line, and publicly cited estimates say some new recruits survive only about 20 minutes before being killed or wounded. In the Netherlands, intelligence assessments warned that Russia could threaten NATO as soon as a year after the war in Ukraine ends. In Kyiv, two Russian agents were arrested after Ukrainian officials said they had planned to blow up a Ukrainian soldier.
Ukrainian forces struck three bridges in Donbas and targeted the Russian army headquarters and other military sites. A fire at one of Russia’s largest oil refineries was still burning for a second day after a Ukrainian attack. Six people were killed in a shooting at a youth facility in northern Germany.
sources: delfi.lt, 15min.lt, vz.lt, tv3.lt, lrytas.lt, lrt.lt
Ukraine’s air force lost two MiG-29 fighters in under 24 hours, one during a combat mission over Poltava region and another in a landing accident after a drone strike on an airfield on June 27. The first loss is still under investigation. The second involved a Geran-4 attack drone hitting a fighter on the ground, a sign that Russia is pushing harder on Ukraine’s air bases as well as its front-line air patrols. Both jets were Soviet-era aircraft, part of a shrinking fleet that Kyiv still relies on for air defence and strike support.
Why it matters
Ukrainian pilots and ground crews now have to protect airfields as well as the front line, because parked aircraft are becoming targets in their own right. Every lost MiG-29 means fewer sorties for air defence and fewer reserve jets in a fleet that is already stretched thin.
Russian forces pressed deeper into Ukraine’s Kharkiv region on June 29, with Moscow saying its troops were closing in on Kupyansk and Vovchansk. The fighting comes after weeks of heavier pressure on roads and rear areas linking Kharkiv and Sumy, which Ukrainian officials say have come under repeated strikes. The move suggests Moscow is trying to widen a border security belt and stretch Ukrainian reserves along the northeast front.
Why it matters
Civilians in Kharkiv region face a higher risk of shelling and evacuation, especially in settlements near the border and main road links. The closer the front moves to Kupyansk and Vovchansk, the more Ukrainian troops Kyiv has to pin down there, thinning defences elsewhere.
Russian-annexed Crimea came under another Ukrainian drone attack overnight from June 28 to 29, and the local authorities declared a state of emergency after strikes on fuel infrastructure. Crimean head Sergei Aksyonov said the fuel situation is the toughest problem on the peninsula, where shortages have already built up in recent days. The strikes target Russia’s supply chain and could further strain fuel deliveries to both the military and civilians.
Why it matters
For residents of Crimea, it means more pressure on fuel supply and possible limits at petrol stations. For Russia’s military presence on the peninsula, it complicates logistics because the fuel network feeds the southern front.
Five people were killed in a Russian missile strike on Dnipro on June 29, Ukrainian officials said. The strike hit a mixed residential and industrial area, and emergency crews were still searching rubble and evacuating survivors. Local officials said it was one of the latest attacks on the city in the past 48 hours, as Dnipro remained under sustained fire.
Why it matters
Dnipro is a key logistics and industrial hub, so strikes on the city disrupt both civilian life and supply routes in south-eastern Ukraine. Repeated attacks on residential areas also force more emergency evacuations and stretch local hospitals and rescue teams.
On June 29, Vladimir Putin publicly acknowledged that Ukrainian strikes are squeezing Russia's energy sector and that fuel shortages are worsening, with queues forming at petrol stations. LRT said the pressure is spreading into transport and supply chains, after earlier strikes had already strained fuel supplies in Crimea. The episode suggests Kyiv's deep-strike campaign is hitting more of Russia's fuel network and forcing Moscow to look for ways to steady domestic supply.
Why it matters
Fuel shortages will hit motorists, haulage firms and regional businesses that depend on steady diesel and petrol deliveries. If the squeeze deepens, Moscow may have to choose between keeping the domestic market supplied and diverting fuel to the war effort.
Russian forces have kept up pressure in eastern Ukraine over the past day, while battlefield analysts and Ukrainian soldiers describe heavy losses among new arrivals in the front line. Publicly cited estimates say some freshly mobilized or rushed-through trainees last only about 20 minutes before being hit by artillery, drones or mines. Moscow is leaning on short training cycles and constant replacement because experienced fighters are being depleted faster than the army can refill them.
Why it matters
For Ukraine, the issue is manpower, not just hardware. If Russian replacements are burning through in minutes, the strain shifts to Ukrainian drone crews, artillery units and the mobilization system that has to keep the line from thinning out.
South Korea on Monday unveiled an 800 trillion won, or $518 billion, plan for a new chipmaking hub in the country’s southwest. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix will each build two new fabs there, and President Lee Jae Myung pitched the project as a response to surging AI chip demand.
U.S. and Iranian negotiators agreed to extend a ceasefire for 60 days and pause military action, pending Donald Trump’s approval. The draft would restart talks on Iran’s nuclear programme, while mediators were also working on Strait of Hormuz shipping, unfrozen Iranian funds and a halt to strikes on land and at sea. Pakistan said it struck militant targets overnight in Paktia, Paktika and Kunar and killed 29 fighters after a ground operation along the Afghan border. In southern Lebanon, Israel blew up a tunnel and Hezbollah threatened retaliation.
Russian missiles and drones killed at least 11 civilians across Ukraine today, including five in Dnipro, three in Zaporizhzhia and two in Sumy region. A drone hit a passenger minibus in Zaporizhzhia and injured six people, including a child. Australia and Vanuatu signed an agreement on Monday barring foreign military bases in the Pacific island nation. In Poland, prosecutors on Saturday charged a 22-year-old man with stalking a 25-year-old influencer and hiding her body in a suitcase, after CCTV and phone records undercut his alibi.
Venezuela's earthquake death toll rose to at least 1,719, and officials are preparing for a scenario in which fatalities could reach 10,000. The U.S. Supreme Court let stand the ruling in Donald Trump's sexual assault case. Three firefighters died while battling blazes in the western United States.
sources: delfi.lt, 15min.lt, lrt.lt, vz.lt, tv3.lt, lrytas.lt
Polish prosecutors on June 28 charged a 22-year-old man with stalking a 25-year-old influencer and hiding her body in a suitcase after the killing. Investigators say the victim was found in her flat, while the suspect claimed he was elsewhere at the time. Prosecutors say CCTV and phone records torpedoed that alibi. The case now goes to trial, with a long prison term on the table.
Why it matters
The case matters for influencers and women facing stalking from former partners or obsessed followers. It shows how phone data and CCTV can make or break an alibi in court.
Russian missiles and drones killed at least 11 civilians across Ukraine on June 29, including five in Dnipro, three in Zaporizhzhia and two in Sumy region, Ukrainian officials said. Kyiv said a missile hit infrastructure in Dnipro, while drones struck a passenger minibus in Zaporizhzhia, injuring six people, including a child. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Moscow of deliberately targeting cities and critical sites as officials continued to update casualty figures after the morning attacks.
Why it matters
For people in Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia and Sumy region, the immediate impact is more evacuations, heavier pressure on hospitals and disruption to transport and utilities when strikes hit infrastructure and civilian vehicles. Each wave also forces Ukraine to stretch limited air-defence interceptors between the front line and rear-area cities.
South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix on Monday unveiled an 800 trillion won, or $518 billion, plan to build a new chipmaking hub in the country’s southwest. President Lee Jae Myung joined the announcement, which calls for two new fabs from each company outside their existing base in Gyeonggi province. The move is aimed at meeting surging AI-driven demand and spreading investment beyond the Seoul metro area.
Why it matters
The plan matters because Samsung and SK Hynix together make about two-thirds of the world’s memory chips, so their output shapes supply for AI hardware and data centers. It also channels jobs and infrastructure spending into South Korea’s southwest, a region that has lagged the capital area for years.
Washington and Tehran agreed on June 28 to halt strikes and return to talks after several days of tit-for-tat attacks across the Gulf. Mediators had been working on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, unfrozen Iranian funds and a pause to strikes on land and at sea. The deal took shape after fresh attacks in Bahrain and Kuwait on June 27-28, with both sides now set to keep negotiating a broader nuclear and security package.
Why it matters
The Strait of Hormuz carries a large share of global oil and gas flows, so even a temporary pause in attacks can affect freight insurance, shipping routes and fuel-price expectations. The next round of talks also matters for Europe, where sanctions on Iran could reshape trade and energy costs if the nuclear track moves forward.
U.S. and Iranian negotiators have agreed to pause military actions and extend the ceasefire, with Donald Trump still needing to sign off. LRT and AP say the draft calls for a 60-day extension and talks on Iran’s nuclear programme after this month’s truce came under strain in fresh exchanges of fire. If the White House approves, the deal would open the door to broader talks on sanctions and Gulf security.
Why it matters
Oil and gas markets are watching the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for regional exports. Any halt in fighting reduces the risk of supply shocks and eases pressure on fuel prices in Europe.
Pakistan said its forces hit militant targets in eastern Afghanistan overnight on June 29 after a ground operation along the border, claiming 29 fighters were killed. The strikes reached Paktia, Paktika and Kunar, three provinces long used as a route and refuge by armed groups operating across the frontier. The latest action follows a sharp rise in cross-border violence this year and a fresh round of accusations over civilian deaths from earlier Pakistani raids.
Why it matters
People living along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border are the first to face the fallout from these operations. The UN has already documented civilian deaths from earlier Pakistani strikes this month, so every new round of attacks raises the risk of displacement and more casualties.