Zelenskyy visits UK, Russia attacks Kyiv, Ukraine strikes key Russian oil depot – Monday brief

New Zealand announces over $9 million aid package for Ukraine

New Zealand will provide Ukraine with a new aid package worth 16 million New Zealand dollars (over 9.4 million dollars), the official website of the New Zealand government reports.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters made this announcement ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague.

The package will include both military and humanitarian assistance.

Kyiv and the region hit hard: Main takeaways from Russia’s attack

On the night of June 23, Russia carried out a combined attack on Kyiv and also targeted the Kyiv region. The shelling resulted in fires, damage to buildings and vehicles, and injuries, according to the Telegram channels of the Kyiv City Military Administration, Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko, and the head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, Mykola Kalashnyk.

Main takeaways:

• The primary targets of Russia were Kyiv and the Kyiv region.
• The enemy carried out a combined attack, launching missiles twice.
• Many districts of Kyiv were affected, with five people reported injured.
• In the Kyiv region, damage was recorded in three districts, and one woman was killed.

Ukraine's President arrives in United Kingdom: What's on agenda

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived on a visit to the United Kingdom. The purpose of the trip is to deepen defense cooperation, presidential spokesperson Serhii Nikiforov says.

According to Nikiforov, during the visit, the President of Ukraine will meet with:

• King Charles III
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer
• Speakers of both Houses of Parliament, Lindsay Hoyle and Lord John McFall.

Among other things, Zelenskyy will talk to Ukrainian soldiers who are being trained in the UK and representatives of think tanks.

Hungary and Slovakia block 18th package of sanctions against Russia

Hungary and Slovakia have decided not to support the European Union's plan for the 18th package of sanctions against Russia, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó says.

"We did this because the European Union ... wants to prohibit member states, including Hungary and Slovakia, from purchasing cheap Russian natural gas and cheap Russian oil as they have done previously," Szijjártó says.

Ukraine's Security Service chief reveals foiled assassination attempt on Zelenskyy in Poland

Ukrainian law enforcement has thwarted another attempted assassination of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The plot was being prepared by a Polish national, a military pensioner, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Vasyl Malyuk, announced this to journalists.

NATO chief: Ukraine to receive over €35 billion in support from allies

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that Ukraine will receive additional aid worth 35 billion euros from European countries and Canada this year, according to The Guardian.

"Of course, the most significant and direct threat facing this alliance remains the Russian Federation. Moscow continues to wage war against Ukraine with the support of North Korea, Iran and China, as well as Belarus. We all want peace for Ukrainian people and an end to the terrible war against them," said Rutte.

Ukraine strikes key Russian oil depot supplying troops in Donetsk region - General Staff

Ukrainian forces struck the Atlas oil depot in Russia's Rostov region overnight on Monday, June 23, according to the Ukrainian General Staff.

According to the agency, the facility is used to supply fuel and lubricants to Russian military units involved in the armed aggression against Ukraine in the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions.