The Russians struck the Lavra, Ukraine attacked Moscow, and the Polish president took the order from Zelensky. Weekly digest

This week, a Russian strike drone hit the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle, and the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding and unblocked the Strait of Hormuz (and then blocked it again).

Babel has compiled the main events of the week so that you can stay up to date with the news.

Attack on Lavra

During a massive attack on the night of Monday, June 15, a Russian “Geran-2” strike drone hit the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. The altar section and about 80% of the buildingʼs roof were damaged.

Also that night, the treasury of the National Museum of History of Ukraine, the Museum of Book and Printing, the National Historical Library, the Dovzhenko Film Studio, and other cultural institutions were damaged.

In particular, opposite the Lavra, in the building of the Mystetsky Arsenal complex, the fire reached an area of 1 000 m².

Already on June 19, the Lavra partially resumed work.

New contracts

On June 15, Cabinet Resolution No. 768 on experimental military contracts with a service term of 6 to 24 months came into effect. Now it is possible to conclude new infantry assault, combat or basic contracts for military service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other components of the Defense Forces.

The new terms include guaranteed release upon completion of the contract and additional payments for combat missions. The pilot project will run for two years, until June 2028.

The Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said that from the end of next fall, they will begin to partially release servicemen who have been serving in the army since the start of the full-scale invasion or longer.

The EU opened the first negotiation cluster

On June 15, the European Union opened the first negotiation cluster for Ukraine and Moldova. This decision was supported by all EU member states.

The "Fundamentals" cluster concerns the judiciary, rights, freedoms, financial control, democratic institutions, and public administration reform. It is always the first to open and the last to close in accession negotiations.

There are six clusters in total. Enlargement Commissioner Marta Cos said that the EU hopes to open all of them in July.

Attacks on Moscow

On Tuesday, June 16, and Thursday, June 18, Ukrainian drones struck the Moscow Oil Refinery, 500 kilometers from the Ukrainian border and 15 kilometers from the Kremlin. The second attack is being called the largest attack on the Russian capital since the war began.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the plant has stopped operations. Both oil processing plants and three tanks were damaged after the attacks.

“If Ukraine falls, Moscow will fall,” said President Zelensky.

He called the attack on Moscow a response to the attack on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.

The US and Iran sign memorandum of understanding

Iran and the United States officially agreed and signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday, June 18. Donald Trump did so at the Palace of Versailles near Paris, where he was on the sidelines of the G7 summit. The document stipulates that the parties will now have 60 days to agree on a final peace agreement. This period can be extended by mutual consent.

The US lifted the naval blockade of Iran, and the first tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz.

The talks scheduled for June 19 in Switzerland were canceled. Media reported that the Iranian delegation refused to meet because Israel continues to attack southern Lebanon. Iran also reported that it has closed the Strait of Hormuz again.

The US denied Iranʼs statement about closing the strait and stated that 55 ships passed through it in the day on June 20. On June 21, US-Iranian negotiations are taking place in Switzerland, attended by US Vice President J.D. Vance.

Nawrocki deprived Zelensky of the order

On Friday, May 19, Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle, Polandʼs highest state award. The reason was that Zelensky had previously awarded the Separate Special Operations Center "North" of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine the honorary title "named after the Heroes of UPA".

Zelensky later sent his order to Poland via “Nova Post”.

Three presidents of Ukraine — Leonid Kuchma, Viktor Yushchenko, and Petro Poroshenko — also refused their orders of the White Eagle. The Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, the head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Budanov, and former Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman also refused their Polish awards.

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