Ukraine’s parliament on Tuesday voted to ban the Russia-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church, a move welcomed by President Volodymyr Zelensky who said it would bolster Ukraine’s independence. Kyiv has been trying to curb religious and social links with Russia for years—a process that was accelerated by Moscow’s 2022 invasion, which the powerful Russian Orthodox Church endorsed. Read our blog to see how the day's events unfolded.
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Summary:
- Ukraine’s parliament voted Tuesday to ban the Russia-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church, a move Kyiv says strengthens its independence as the country cuts ties with institutions it considers aligned with Moscow.
- More than 122,000 people have left Russia’s Kursk region, where evacuations have been ordered since Ukraine mounted a major incursion two weeks ago, state-run media quoted the emergencies ministry as saying on Tuesday.
- Russian authorities were struggling Tuesday to put out a massive fire in the southern Rostov region for a third consecutive day after an oil depot was hit by Ukrainian drones.
- Belarus said on Monday it had sent military reinforcements to its border with Ukraine, a day after President Alexander Lukashenko said he had deployed nearly a third of the armed forces to the region.
- Ukraine's air defences shot down three missiles and 25 drones fired by Russia in an overnight attack on Tuesday, the Ukrainian air force said.
Yesterday's key developments:
- Ukraine's air defence units repelled an overnight air attack, destroying all 11 drones that Moscow launched towards Ukrainian territory including Kyiv, Ukraine's air force said on Monday.
- President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine now controls more than 1,250 square kilometres and 92 settlements in Russia's Kursk region.
- Ukraine said it had destroyed another strategic bridge over the Seym River in Russia's Kursk region.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP, Reuters)
