Newsletter 23/06/2025
A daily news digest covering important war, political, economic, and cultural topics in Ukraine
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Russia launches large-scale attack on Kyiv and region, casualties and damage reported
The ninth confirmed victim of the Russian attack on Kyiv has been identified as an 11-year-old girl, according to Kyiv City Military Administration head Timur Tkachenko.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko shared video footage from the Shevchenkivskyi district, where a Russian missile hit a five-story residential building.
The attack also damaged infrastructure at the Sviatoshyn metro station, forcing the closure of one of its exits. The State Emergency Service confirmed that emergency teams are working across several locations in the city, including the Solomianskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts.
Russia strikes educational institution in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi with ballistic missiles, people may be trapped
In the Odessa region, in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, an educational institution was destroyed as a result of a Russian missile strike on the afternoon of June 23.
Eighteen people were inside the lyceum in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Odesa region, when it was struck by Russian missiles. Two staff members—the head teacher and the head of the household—were killed.
Zelensky on night attack: Russian army carried out cynical strike against civilian infrastructure
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the Russian army has launched a cynical attack on civilian infrastructure in four regions, using 352 drones and 16 missiles. The main target of the attack was Kyiv.
“After the strikes on Iran's nuclear program facilities, there was a lot of uproar from Moscow — the Russian leadership performatively condemned the ‘missile-and-bomb’ actions. Today, Moscow is silent after the Russian army carried out a completely cynical strike using Russian-Iranian Shahed drones and missiles against civilian infrastructure in Kyiv and other cities and communities of ours. In Kyiv alone, 5 apartment buildings were damaged — ordinary residential homes. So far, 6 people have been reported killed. Another person was killed in Bila Tserkva, Kyiv region, where a Shahed struck a hospital. My condolences to all their families and loved ones,” Zelensky noted.
Ukrainian air defense downs 339 Russian drones and 15 missiles in overnight attack
The Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled the aerial attack using a combination of aviation units, anti-aircraft missile systems, electronic warfare means, unmanned systems, and mobile fire teams.
As of 09:00 on June 23, air defenses successfully neutralized 354 of the incoming threats:
146 drones were destroyed by direct firepower, and 193 were suppressed or downed by electronic warfare;
7 ballistic missiles (Iskander-M/KN-23) were shot down, with three more locally lost;
all 5 cruise missiles (Iskander-K) were shot down.
Direct hits were recorded at six locations, and debris fell at 25 sites across Kyiv and the region.
Zelensky meets with King Charles
President Volodymyr Zelensky met with King Charles on Monday during an official visit to the United Kingdom.
During a meeting with King Charles III, President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude to the monarch and the British people for their support of Ukraine.
Maliuk reveals Russian special services attempted to bomb SSU building in Kyiv
"In 2023, Putin signed an internal closed decree on so-called ‘sabotage noise’. The GRU and FSB are the executors. This is because they are carrying out as many terrorist attacks as possible on the territory of Ukraine. There was one situation where we were ‘leading’ one of the groups. We learned that a significant amount of explosives was ready. One man was supposed to hand over a suitcase with explosives to another terrorist scoundrel. I said: as soon as he takes it, we follow him, and as soon as he enters the building, we detain him. We watched as a young girl took the bag, got into a taxi, which made a large circle and arrived here at Volodymyrska Street. The girl gets out and carries the suitcase with explosives almost to our door," said SSU head Vasyl Maliuk.
New Zealand announces further aid package for Ukraine
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have announced a new support package for Ukraine amounting to 16 million New Zealand dollars (over 9.4 million US dollars) ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague this week.
According to the statement, New Zealand will contribute 4 million NZD (approximately $2.3 million USD) to two multinational funds providing both lethal and non-lethal military assistance to Ukraine: the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) fund, and the Drone Coalition for Ukraine, led by the United Kingdom and Latvia.
New Zealand will also provide 7 million NZD (about $4.1 million USD) in further humanitarian assistance to communities in Ukraine affected by the conflict, and 1 million NZD (around $593,000 USD) for Ukrainians displaced to neighboring countries.
Ukrainian forces hit oil depot in Russia’s Rostov region
On the night of June 23, Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, in coordination with Rocket Forces and artillery units, launched a strike on the Atlas oil depot in Russia’s Rostov region.
The facility is known to supply fuels to Russian military units involved in armed aggression against Ukraine in the temporarily occupied territories of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
"We have confirmed that our weapons reached the target area. A fire was recorded. The extent of the damage is currently being assessed," the General Staff reported, adding that Ukraine’s Defense Forces continue to take all necessary measures to weaken the military and economic potential of the Russian invaders and compel Russia to cease its armed aggression against Ukraine.
Missile strike on AFU training ground leaves 14 wounded – Ground Forces
On June 22, the Russian army launched a missile strike on a training ground of one of the mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, where military personnel were conducting training exercises. Three people were reported killed and 11 wounded.
Fourteen people were wounded as a result of a Russian army missile strike.
War
13 cadet classes of Russian Guard and FSB operate in occupied Zaporizhzhia to militarize children
"...the level of militarization of children in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region is significantly higher than in Donetsk. There are 13 cadet classes operating in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia in Melitopol, Berdiansk, Troiany, and Novopetrivka. At the same time, there are cadet classes of the Russian Guard and the FSB (together) and the Investigative Committee," reported on Telegram by Petro Andriushchenko.
According to his information, this project in the Zaporizhzhia region is informally supervised by Sergei Kirienko, deputy head of the Russian presidential administration.
Andriushchenko added that in the Donetsk region, there is only one cadet class in Mariupol.
Man killed in Kherson as result of shelling
Two civilians were killed in Kherson as a result of shelling: a 48-year-old man who was hit by shelling on the morning of June 23, and the body of a 62-year-old man who was killed by Russians approximately a week ago.
Enemy attack on village in Chernihiv region: two killed, ten injured
Late on June 22, a Russian Lancet drone strike targeted the Snovsk community in the Chernihiv region, killing two people and injuring ten others, including three children.
Situation in Pokrovsk sector reported by military
The Pokrovsk sector remains one of the few areas where the enemy continues to use heavy equipment, although not in large quantities. Russian forces mostly rely on light vehicles and infantry groups. There has been no observation of any new assault tactics.
Russians attempt to dislodge AFU from positions on left bank of Dnipro – military sources
Russia’s ‘constant shelling’ tactic disrupts rescuers’ work – SES
Russia unable to eliminate consequences of tanker disaster in Black Sea - CCD
Russian drone strike hits minibus in Kostiantynivka, killing driver and injuring passenger
Politics
Sybiha, Spanish FM discuss boosting Ukraine’s air defense and military capabilities
During a meeting in Brussels, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares discussed future steps to strengthen Ukraine's air defense and military capabilities, as well as to increase sanctions pressure on Russia.
Ukraine’s FM urges EU to slam Russian economy with crippling sanctions
Middle East tensions may divert focus from Ukraine – Polish FM
Ukraine requires $17.3B in 2025 for priority recovery efforts
Society
Lviv welcomes humanitarian convoy from Belgium’s Mechelen
A convoy of nine vehicles, including six police cars, a firefighting vehicle, and two passenger cars, along with medical equipment, digital devices, and bulletproof vests arrived in Lviv as part of the humanitarian initiative led by Bart Somers, Mayor of the Belgian city of Mechelen.
Crime
Russian agents detained in Kharkiv over plot to bomb military facility
The Counterintelligence Service of Ukraine and the National Police detained Russian agents who attempted to blow up a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier with a homemade explosive device in Kharkiv on June 14.
“The explosion occurred near the entrance to a five-story building, where the enemy lured the man under the guise of meeting a supposedly familiar girl. As a result of the explosion, the victim suffered multiple shrapnel wounds, but his condition is now stable,” reported SSU
The investigation established that the Russians remotely recruited two local unemployed men to prepare the terrorist attack, one of whom was a repeat offender with a previous conviction for theft.
Both came to the attention of the Russians when they were looking for easy money on Telegram channels.
Following the enemy's instructions, the agents made explosives, reinforced them with nuts, and equipped them with a phone for remote detonation.
The suspects hid the finished explosive device at the site of the planned terrorist attack and camouflaged a phone camera with remote access for Russian special services opposite it under a trash can. Using the gadget, they tracked the arrival of the military officer at the site and remotely activated the explosives at that moment.