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Russia is about to buy "literally millions" of artillery shells and rockets from North Korea, the White House said last night, stating the purchase of artillery as further evidence of Moscow's "desperation" amid supply shortages for its war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin "is in the process of purchasing millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea for use in Ukraine," US State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told a news briefing.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said that Washington suspects "it could include literally millions of rounds, rockets and artillery shells from North Korea."
Moscow's shopping list from North Korea is "just another indication of how desperate Putin's becoming ... It's an indication of how much his defense industrial establishment is suffering as a result of this war and the degree of desperation," he added.
And, on the battle's frontlines, the situation remains "tense and dynamic" in Ukraine's south where a heavy battle between Russian and Ukrainian troops is concentrated.
Ukraine is making gains in its counteroffensive against Russia but progress "won't be quick", a former British soldier who is fighting for Kyiv has said.
Mark Ayres, 48, was wounded by shrapnel on the second day of the counteroffensive near the southern city of Kherson.
"The fighting was pretty intense, lots and lots of shelling," he told CNN. "We fought very hard, and we took the Russian positions that we were meant to take."
Mr Ayres said his side was making some progress.
"It won't be quick; it's hard, slow fought, metre by metre, position by position, because we haven't got the resources to do a massive blitzkrieg, with masses of artillery and armor," he added. "So we have to do it smart, and try to do it (by) sustaining as (few) casualties as possible."
Ukrainian soldiers fighting in the Russian-occupied town of Balakliia in Kharkiv have intensified their attack in counter-attack and are enjoying some advances, officials said.
Without citing locations, Luhansk regional governor Serhiy Gaidai said that Ukraine's "counter-attack is underway and ... our forces are enjoying some success. Let's leave it at that".
However, top officials in Kyiv including president Volodymyr Zelensky have remained guarded about the progress in counter offensive.
A presidential adviser had earlier tweeted that there would be "great news" coming from the president on the operation in the northeastern Kharkiv region.
Moscow had shot a request to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) just hours after the UN nuclear watchdog's team released a report on the condition of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant post a visit this week, Russian defence minister Sergei Lavrov said.
The Kremlin has requested "additional explanations" on some areas in their report from a visit to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the Interfax news agency reported.
A 23-seconds long video has surfaced on social media showing Ukrainian soldiers heading to the country's south where heavy fighting is underway.
The video showed dozens of Ukrainian soldiers aboard tankers headed in what is claimed to be the southern region's Kherson.
#Ukraine/#Russia ????????:
????#Ukrainian forces are advancing further south. BMP-1, Mastiff PPV, YPR-765. #Kherson oblast. pic.twitter.com/w9bIiagFFg
Volodymyr Zelensky said that the report shared by the UN's nuclear watchdog confirms presence of Russia's military equipment on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
"The report notes the presence of Russian military equipment on the territory of the NPP, emphasizes pressure on our nuclear specialists, and makes clear references to the Russian military occupation. That's good," he said last night.
Reiterating his demand to expel Russian forces from the nuclear facility's vicinity, Mr Zelensky said: "In any case, I believe that modern international organizations need a much broader mandate for their actions. I believe that the world not only deserves, but also needs the representatives of the IAEA to force Russia to demilitarize the territory of the NPP and return full control to Ukraine."
"If Russia puts the world on the brink of a radiation disaster, the world must have adequate means to put Russia in the conditions where the terrorist state will be forced to stop the terror," he said.
Liz Truss has accepted an invitation to visit Ukraine from Volodymyr Zelensky during her first phone call as prime minister with a foreign leader last night.
The newly-inducted PM held the call with Mr Zelensky within hours of becoming prime minister.
It comes after US president Joe Biden congratulated Ms Truss on becoming prime minister and vowed to deepen the "special relationship" between the US and the UK.
Mr Zelensky tweeted: "I became the 1st foreign leader to have a conversation with the newly elected (British) PM @trussliz. Invited her to (Ukraine). Thanked (British) people for the major defense & economic aid for (Ukraine). It's important that (Britain) is ready to further strengthen it. Attention was paid to security guarantees.
I became the 1st foreign leader to have a conversation with the newly elected ???? PM @trussliz. Invited her to ????. Thanked ???? people for the major defense & economic aid for ????. It's important that ???? is ready to further strengthen it. Attention was paid to security guarantees 1/2
Russia is likely set to buy "literally millions" of artillery shells and rockets from North Korea, the White House said yesterday, stating the purchase of artillery as further evidence of Moscow's "desperation" amid supply shortages for its war in Ukraine.
Russia "is in the process of purchasing millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea for use in Ukraine," US state department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told a news briefing.
The newly declassified US intelligence showed that Russia was making such purchases from its old Cold War ally.
However, there were "no indications that that purchase has been completed and certainly no indications that those weapons are being used inside of Ukraine," White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said little later.
North Korea is among the handful of allies of Russia for invading Ukraine and is also looking to aid Moscow in terms of manpower, according to several reports.
Read the full story here:
Russia buying millions of weapons from North Korea, says US
Ukrainian fighters shot down five Russian cruise missiles on Tuesday, of which most were targeted in the south, Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address.
"Five out of six Russian Kh-101 missiles were shot down only in the first half of the day. This is an expensive loss for Russia - and it saved many Ukrainian lives," he said.
Four of these missiles, Mr Zelensky said, were shot down by servicemen of the air command south.
Russian fighters in Ukraine have continued to sustain heavy losses in the past 24 hours and 83 soldiers have been killed, Kyiv's military officials said in a war update.
"Ukraine's military destroyed five tanks, 12 Msta-B and Msta-s howitzers," the country's operational command "south" said on Tuesday, adding that the situation in southern Ukraine - battlefield of counterattack from Ukraine against Russia - remains "tense and dynamic".
Ukraine's forces have also downed a Russian Su-25 fighter jet, Orlan-10 drone, destroyed three Giatsint-B towed guns and three units of armoured vehicles, the military wing said on Tuesday.
France has decided to reactivate a disused pipeline to send Germany gas as part of a reciprocal arrangement that could see power travel in the opposite direction.
French president Emmanuel Macron unveiled the energy deal amid the worsening energy crisis.
"Macron is under pressure because of the electricity situation in France. So the signal 'Germany and France support each other' is important," a German government source told Reuters.
"We do not expect that France will solve our gas problems. But every possible delivery of gas is a sign to the markets that we will pull through the winter."
A UN watchdog has called for a "security zone" to be established around Europe's largest nuclear power plant, shortly after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a potential "catastrophe" there (Rory Sullivan writes).
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) made the recommendation in a new report published on Tuesday.
A team of IAEA experts travelled to the Russian-held nuclear power plant last week, following weeks of talks with Moscow. While the majority of thems have already left Zaporizhzhia, two of its members remain at the site to oversee operations.
More to come on this:
UN watchdog calls for 'security zone' around Ukraine nuclear plant
Russia is buying weapons from North Korea, in a sign that Moscow is struggling to cope under the weight of Western sanctions, US officials have said.
Declassified American military intelligence indicates that the Kremlin is purchasing large numbers of rockets and artillery shells from Pyongyang for use in Ukraine.
An unnamed official confirmed the development to Reuters, after the story first appeared in The New York Times.
Russia buying millions of weapons from North Korea, says US
The Kremlin has banned Holywood actors Ben Stiller and Sean Penn from entering Russia, following their support for Ukraine.
The Russian foreign ministry included the stars on a list of 25 US citizens who it is placing under sanctions.
Both Stiller and Penn have visited Kyiv since the war started and have expressed their admiration for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Three Royal Navy warships have been shadowing a Russian ship off British waters.
They tracked the Slava-class cruiser Marshal Ustinov, the sister ship of the Moskva, the vessel which sank in mid-April after it was hit by Ukrainian missiles.
A Royal Navy spokesman said: "The frigates and their helicopters used an array of cutting-edge sensors and modern naval technology to keep close watch in the Celtic Sea and through the English Channel."
Royal Navy warships shadow Russian vessels close to UK waters
A Russian newspaper has published a front-page letter in support of the former journalist Ivan Safronov, the day after he was jailed for 22 years on what human rights activists believe are trumped-up treason charges.
Mr Safronov used to work as a defence reporter at the Kommersant, the paper which ran the letter.
His former colleagues praised his talents as a journalist, adding that they had been lucky to work with him.
His imprisonment has sparked fears for the safety of other journalists.
Front page of Kommersant today is a letter from the staff to Ivan Safronov. https://t.co/qvAdDgAEjb
Ukrainian troops hit several Russian positions in Kherson region as part of its wide-ranging counterattacks.
Kyiv's targeted the Russian-held Chornobaivka and Hola Prystan, according to Serhii Bratchuk, a spokesperson for the Odesa Oblast Military Administration.
China has agreed to buy Russian gas in roubles to help reduce Moscow's reliance on foreign currency.
Russia's Gazprom confirmed the development on Tuesday, with the firm's CEO Alexei Miller describing the arrangement as "mutually beneficial".
"It will simplify the calculations, become an excellent example for other companies and give an additional impetus for the development of our economies," he claimed.
Moscow has claimed that the West is not keeping its promises to help Russian food and fertiliser exports reach international markets.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov suggested countries were refusing to abide by the terms of a UN-brokered agreement in July, which saw the lifting of a Russian blockade of Ukrainian grain exports.
"Our Western colleagues are not doing what we were promised by the U.N. secretary-general," Mr Lavrov said in Moscow.
"They are not taking decisions to remove the logistic sanctions that prevent the free access of Russian grain and fertilisers to world markets."
A group of Russian rabbis have claimed on the Kremlin to end the war in Ukraine.
They said the conflict had created tension for Jews living in Russia.
Federation of Jewish Communities in Russia, one of the country's two largest Jewish organizations."Relations between Russia and the rest of the world have rapidly deteriorated since the invasion began in February, resulting in economic uncertainty and, of significant concern to the Jewish community in particular, a sense of fear and isolation not felt in decades," the Federation of Jewish Communities in Russia said. The group called "for peace and the cessation of the bloodshed".
Russia has accused the US of contributing to Europe's energy crisis by encouraging its allies to take the "suicidal" step of cutting cooperation with Moscow.
"The dominance of Washington prevailed," Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova claimed.
"Political forces were brought to power in the European Union who are playing the role of 'sheep-provocateurs'," she alleged.
Europe is facing its worst ever energy crisis, with Russia limiting gas supplies to the continent.
A former Russian journalist has been sentenced to 22 years in prison in what his supporters say is another chilling crackdown on press freedom.
Ivan Safronov, an ex-defence reporter for the Kommersant newspaper, was detained in July 2020 for allegedly passing state secrets to the Czech Republic.
The 32-year-old, who strongly denies the charges, rejected a plea deal from authorities last month, which would have seen him serve 12 years in jail.
Last week, Mr Safronov called the accusations he faced "absurd" and the 24-year sentence requested by the prosecution "monstrous", insisting that he never had access to any classified documents.
Read more here:
Russian journalist Ivan Safronov given 22-year prison sentence
The Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has critised the new UK prime minister Liz Truss, saying her approach would not help Britain on the world stage.
Mr Lavrov accused Ms Truss of not being willing to compromise.
His criticism of her followed the Kremlin's suggestion that she had been competing in "anti-Russian rhetoric" with her Tory leadership rival Rishi Sunak.
Ukraine's forces have started counterattacks in the east and southeast of the country, a senior adviser to Ukrainian presidential Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
Writing on Telegram on Monday evening, Oleksiy Arestovych said: "Counteroffensive actions by the Armed Forces of Ukraine are taking place not only in the south of Ukraine, but also in the east and southeast."
He said "the beginning of counteroffensive actions on different sectors of the front on our part speaks of a change in the situation as a whole".
Shortly before he left office, the outgoing British prime minister Boris Johnson spoke to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky about the UK's continued support for Ukraine.
"It's been a privilege to work with you @ZelenskyyUa, and I look forward to staying friends," Mr Johnson tweeted shortly afterwards.
He ended his message with "Slava Ukraini", which means "Glory to Ukraine".
It's been a privilege to work with you @ZelenskyyUa, and I look forward to staying friends. The UK will continue to back Ukraine every step of the way, because we know that your security is our security, and your freedom is our freedom.
Slava Ukraini ???? https://t.co/knjrR9sGDj
Russian president Vladimir Putin has travelled to the far east of his country to inspect a large military drill.
The "Vostok" military exercise, which involves Indian and Chinese troops, is taking place thousands of miles from Ukraine.
In a clip on Russian military TV, Mr Putin was seen smiling at the event beside his defence minister Sergei Shoigu. Both men were wearing military combat jackets.
The Kremlin says that 50,000 Russian troops are involved in this year's drill, a far cry from the 300,000 who it said took part four years ago.
Western analysts believe both figures could be inflated.
At least 382 Ukrainian children have been killed in the war so far, Ukraine's prosecutor general's office has said.
A further 741 young people have been injured since 24 February, it added.
The true number of casualties is likely to be higher, as the figures do not include totals from Russian-occupied territory.
Ukrainian troops have gained a "foothold" in the eastern Luhansk province, its governor has claimed.
Without providing further details, Serhiy Haidai said Kyiv's forces had thwarted Russian attacks and had made small gains in the region.
As we mentioned earlier, three Ukrainians are thought to have been killed in Russian airstrikes in and around Kharkiv.
Here is one of the latest pictures from the northeast region:
Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's treatment in prison is getting "dramatically" worse, one of his friends has said.
Leonid Volkov, Mr Navalny's chief of staff, said that although the 45-year-old was still "mentally and physically very fit", his health was under threat.
The opposition leader has spent three stints in solitary confinement in quick succession, according to his social media posts.
"Suddenly, three weeks ago, they started to dramatically worsen his conditions, which actually poses an enormous threat to his health, because no normal person could spend a long time in that 'special' cell," Mr Volkov said.
"The fact that Putin is losing (the war), and is getting less and less predictable, makes the situation more dangerous," he added.
Three people have died from Russian shelling in the northeast Kharkiv region, its governor has said.
In a Telegram post, Oleh Synehubov said a 73-year-old woman died overnight in the city of Kharkiv, after the building she lived in was hit by a rocket.
"In the industrial district, a two-story building was damaged and a private residential building, in which a 73-year-old woman was staying, was destroyed. Unfortunately, she died," he said.
Two men also died in the nearby village of Zolochiv, he added.
Russia's decision to switch off its main gas pipeline to Europe drove the Euro to a 20-year low.
Amid fears about winter energy supplies, France has said it is well prepared for the months ahead.
"Today we have reached the maximum level for our gas reserves...These gas stocks represent 50 per cent of our winter consumption, so we are in the best conditions to go through the winter," energy minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said on Tuesday.
The UK will continue to support Ukraine "beyond the here and now", the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.
As part of this, defence secretary Ben Wallace will travel to Germany this week to speak with partners about funding Ukraine.
Support for Ukraine ???? goes beyond the here and now.
Defence Secretary @BWallaceMP will head to Germany this week to discuss longer term international funding for Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/toEgCoIeZs
#icymi
Russian relations with Britain could worsen under Liz Truss's premiership, Moscow has said.
Speaking before Ms Truss was named prime minister, Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov accused both Tory leadership candidates of competing in "anti-Russian rhetoric".
"I don't think that we can hope for anything positive," he added.
Russia says relations with Britain could get worse as Truss elected PM
Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russian positions in southern Ukraine have "tangibly degraded" Russian logistics, a US military think tank has said.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) added that Ukraine's counterattack had also limited Russian administrative capabilities in Kherson.
The analysis comes as Ukraine claimed to have recaptured Vysokopyllya, to the north of Kherson.
The #Ukrainian counteroffensive is tangibly degrading #Russian logistics and administrative capabilities in occupied southern Ukraine.https://t.co/8272yqOgXv pic.twitter.com/cYrZI2zLQb