Russia’s war on Ukraine latest news: Grain ships leave Ukrainian ports

President Putin said Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure and a decision to freeze participation in a Black Sea grain export programme were responses to a drone attack on Moscow’s fleet in Crimea that he blamed on Ukraine.

Russia’s war on Ukraine latest news: Moscow pulls out of grain deal

Fighting

• Russia fired dozens of missiles at Ukrainian energy facilities including hydroelectric power stations on Monday, causing blackouts, mobile phone outages and reductions in water supplies.

• Explosions rocked Kyiv in a fresh wave of attacks that Prime Minister Shmyhal said targeted 10 Ukrainian regions and damaged 18 mostly energy-related facilities.

• Ukrainian police said 13 people had been injured in Monday’s strikes.

• Russia has completed the partial military mobilisation announced in September, the Defence Ministry said.

• Missile debris landed in the northern Moldovan village of Naslavcea after a Russian fusillade was intercepted by air defences in Ukraine, Moldova’s Interior Ministry said.

Trade

• Russia is not ending its participation in a deal to export Ukrainian grain through Black Sea ports but rather is suspending it, Putin said on Monday.

• A record volume of 354,500 tonnes of agricultural products left Ukrainian ports on Monday as part of the Black Sea grain deal, Odesa’s military administration said, despite Russia’s decision to suspend the accord.

• The Kremlin said it would be risky for Ukraine to continue exporting grain via the Black Sea now that Moscow has suspended its participation in the UN-brokered deal.

• Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said his country would continue exporting grain from its Black Sea ports because the shipments offered stability to world food markets.

• Turkey’s Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu that Moscow should re-evaluate the suspension of its participation in the grain deal.

• Putin said a natural gas hub could be set up in Turkey fairly quickly and predicted many customers in Europe would want to sign contracts.

Diplomacy

• Britain warned Putin of severe consequences if Moscow uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine. * Norway will put its military on a raised level of alert from Tuesday.

Quotes

“Another batch of Russian missiles hits Ukraine’s critical infrastructure. Instead of fighting on the battlefield, Russia fights civilians,” said Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Twitter.