Russian forces strike coastal villages, Odesa region’s military chief says; Kharkiv and Mykolaiv also hit.

12:28

A joint coordination centre (JCC) for Ukrainian grain exports under a UN-brokered deal will be opened in a ceremony in Istanbul on Wednesday, Turkey’s defence ministry said.

Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations signed the accord last week to resume Ukraine’s grain exports, which had stalled after Russia’s invasion of its neighbour.

All parties will appoint representatives at the JCC to monitor the implementation of the plan, Reuters reported.

EU renews Russian sanctions until January 2023

12:06

The European Union has decided to renew its sanctions against Russia for a further six months, until the end of January 2023.

The decision, a formality taken by EU energy ministers, refers to sanctions that were first introduced in 2014 and significantly expanded after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February this year.

Ministers approved a draft European law meant to lower demand for gas by 15% from August through to March.

The new legislation entails voluntary national steps to reduce gas consumption and, if they yield insufficient savings, a trigger for mandatory moves in the 27-member bloc.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the move, saying that “the EU has taken a decisive step to face down the threat of a full gas disruption by [Russian president Vladimir] Putin”.