Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

Russia has accused the United States of direct involvement in the Ukraine war, while the first ship carrying Ukrainian grain to world markets since Moscow’s invasion is due to be inspected in Turkey.

Russia says United States is directly involved in Ukraine war

Grain/economy/diplomacy

• The first grain-carrying ship to leave Ukrainian ports in wartime safely anchored off Turkey’s coast on Tuesday, while a senior official said Ankara expected roughly one grain ship to leave Ukraine every day as long as the export agreement holds.

• Russia said the United States was directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine because US spies were approving and coordinating Ukrainian missile strikes on Russian forces.

• The United States imposed sanctions on Alina Kabaeva, a former Olympic gymnast the Treasury Department described as having a close relationship with President Vladimir Putin.

• The G7 is looking at blocking the transportation of Russian oil among other options to deprive Moscow of bumper revenues.

Fighting

• Ukraine’s president said that despite arms supplies from the West, his country’s forces could not yet overcome Russian advantages in heavy guns and manpower.

• Russia’s top court designated Ukraine’s Azov Regiment as a terrorist group, a Reuters correspondent in the courtroom said, paving the way for captured soldiers to be tried under stringent anti-terror laws and be jailed for up to 20 years.

• Russia said it had carried out deadly strikes against Ukrainian forces in Ukraine’s southern Mykolaiv region and eastern Kharkiv.

• Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said Russian forces had destroyed six US-made HIMARS missile systems since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, Interfax reported.

• The Pentagon denied that. Russia regularly says it has hit HIMARS but has not shown proof.

• Reuters was not able to immediately verify battlefield reports.

• The number of border crossings from Ukraine has surpassed 10 million for the first time since Russia invaded the country, the UN Refugee Agency reported.