Ukraine war - live: Russia insists invasion will succeed as Kyiv ‘captures villages’ near Kherson

Russia has claimed all its war goals “will be reached”, shortly after Ukraine launched a counterattack in the southern regions of Mykolaiv and Kherson.

Moscow’s defiant tone comes after Kyiv reported that it had inflicted heavy losses on its enemy in the south of the country, killing dozens of soldiers and breaking through the frontlines in several places.

A source told CNN that four villages near Kherson had been captured by Ukraine, as part of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky vow to push the Russian army back “to the border”.

The Kremlin, however, hit out at such suggestions on Tuesday, claiming the “enemy’s offensive attempt failed miserably”. Its spokesperson Dmitry Peskov later said: “All of our goals will be reached.”

Shortly after Ukraine launched its long-awaited counteroffensive near the Russian-held city of Kherson, Mr Zelensky said Russian troops should flee home “if they want to survive”.

Key Points

• Zelensky tells Russian troops to flee as Ukraine launches Kherson counter-offensive

• Ukraine increases artillery strikes against Russian positions, says MoD

• Four dead in Russian shelling of Kharkiv, says regional governor

• EU could establish ‘military training mission’ for Ukraine

Russian prosecutor asks court to label anti-war rapper’s work ‘extremist’

14:47 , Rory Sullivan

A Russian rapper could be declared an “extremist” over its opposition to the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.

A Moscow prosecutor has asked a court to designate Oxxxmymiron’s work as “extremist”, arguing that some of his lyrics justified “acts of violence and the ideology of violence”.

The rapper, whose real name is Miron Fyodorov, cancelled a Russian tour earlier this year, saying: “I cannot entertain you when Russian missiles are falling on Ukraine.”

He fled Russia shortly after the announcement.

Dead air: Ukraine war’s devastating effect on wild birds

14:27 , Rory Sullivan

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine threatens a ‘significant number of rare and globally vulnerable bird species’, according to a global conservation group.

Ukraine’s bird species are at risk because of the conflict, says BirdLife International, which works to conserve birds and their habitats.

Samuel Webb reports:

Dead air: Ukraine war’s devastating effect on wild birds

Russia ‘deliberately shelling’ Zaporizhzhia corridor ahead of expected UN nuclear visit

14:10 , Rory Sullivan

Russia is deliberately shelling the area through which UN nuclear experts are supposed to reach Zaporizhzhia power plant, a senior Ukrainian official has said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency is supposed to assess the Russian-held site in the coming days.

However, Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to president Volodymyr Zelensky, claimed the Kremlin was “deliberately shelling corridors” near the site, in an attempt to get the UN to send its team to Zaporizhzhia via Russian-annexed Crimea.

Mr Podolyak said the visit could only go ahead if the nuclear inspectors travel through Ukrainian territory.

The Netherlands backs EU ban on Russian tourists

13:50 , Rory Sullivan

The Netherlands has said it wants to see Russian tourists banned from the EU.

After France and Germany came out against the proposal, the Dutch foreign minister said his country approved of the plan.

“We would like to make a difference between the Russian state and its citizens. But at the same time, we see that by far the most people that come here are rich Russians who often have ties to the regime”, Wopke Hoekstra said.

Ukraine claims to have breached Russian lines as it battles to retake Kherson

13:10 , Rory Sullivan

A day after Ukraine announced it had launched a counteroffensive in Kherson, here are the latest developments:

Ukraine claims to have breached Russian lines as it battles to retake Kherson

Satellite images show damage to Ukraine nuclear plant buildings right next to reactor

12:50 , Rory Sullivan

As mentioned in a previous post, new satellite images appear to show damage to buildings next to several reactors at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Satellite images show damage to Ukraine nuclear plant buildings right next to reactor

My colleague Arpan Rai has further details:

Satellite images show damage to Ukraine nuclear plant buildings right next to reactor

Tucker Carlson insists Russia is winning Ukraine war

12:30 , Rory Sullivan

Experts believe the war in Ukraine has reached a bit of a stalemate.

However, the controversial American talk-show host Tucker Carlson insists that Russia is in the ascendancy.

Watch his comments here:

Situation at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant under control, claims Kremlin

12:07 , Rory Sullivan

The situation at the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is under control, the Kremlin has said.

The message comes as experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) arrived in Kyiv. They are supposed to travel to the nuclear facility soon to conduct safety tests.

Fears have swirled about the Ukrainian facility, which is the largest nuclear plant in Europe, after shelling was reported in its vicinity.

Last week, all of its reactors were out of action due to power line outages.

Kremlin accuses EU of ‘lack of reason’ over possible Russian tourist visa ban

11:36 , Rory Sullivan

Moscow has called the proposal to ban Russian tourists from the EU as “irrational”.

The idea has been put forward by the Baltic states and other countries which border Russia, who argue that the move is needed to make Russian pay the price for their country’s aggression against Ukraine.

The issue, which is not supported by France and Germany, will be discussed by EU foreign leaders in Prague this week.

Referring to a potential ban, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “Step by step, unfortunately, both Brussels and individual European capitals are demonstrating an absolute lack of reason.”

Kremlin accuses Baltic states of ‘Russophobia’

11:15 , Rory Sullivan

Russia has accused the Baltic states of being “Russophobic” after they pulled down several Soviet-era monuments following the invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow alleged that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are treating their Russian minorities as “second class people”.

“What is happening now in the Baltic states is unacceptable for us and will certainly affect the state of bilateral relations with these countries, which are already in complete decline,” the Kremlin said.

The strongly-worded statement came as the Baltic states attempt to push the EU to ban Russian tourists from the bloc over Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

Map of Ukrainian counteroffensive

10:55 , Rory Sullivan

Yesterday, Ukraine announced that it had launched a counterattack near the Russian-held city of Kherson.

Here’s a map of the frontline, courtesy of the US think tank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW):

379 children killed by Putin’s war, says Ukraine

10:32 , Rory Sullivan

Russian attacks have killed 379 children and injured more than 735 others, according to Ukraine’s prosecutor general’s office.

In its latest update, it said the highest number of casualties were reported in the Donetsk region, where 388 children have been killed or injured.

EU ministers discuss increasing weapons production to help Ukraine

10:05 , Rory Sullivan

Six months into the war in Ukraine, EU ministers have spoken about increasing weapons production to help Kyiv fight off Moscow’s troops.

The EU’s store of weapons are low given its ongoing support to Ukraine, the bloc’s most senior foreign diplomat said. “We are depleting our stocks. We are providing so many capacities to Ukraine that we have to refill our stocks,” Josep Borrell told reporters on Tuesday.

Over two days of meetings in Prague, the bloc’s foreign and defence ministers will discuss pooling military resources and buying weapons in bulk.

First humanitarian grain ship to leave Ukraine during war arrives in Djibouti

09:44 , Rory Sullivan

The first humanitarian grain ship to leave Ukraine since a deal was brokered with Russia has reached Djibouti.

The Lebanese-flagged Brave Commander reached the east African country with 23,000 tonnes of wheat onboard.

This comes after the Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports raised fears about the worsening global food crisis, with regions such as East Africa facing their worst drought in decades.

The World Food Programme announced on Tuesday that a second humanitarian shipment had left Ukraine bound for Yemen. It will stop in Turkey en route so that the grain can be milled into flour, the UN said.

Germany and France oppose Russian tourist visa ban

09:20 , Rory Sullivan

Germany and France will oppose demands from the Baltic states that Russian tourists be banned from the EU.

Ahead of a meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers in Prague later today, Berlin and Paris laid out their position in a document seen by Reuters.

“While understanding the concerns of some member states in this context we should not underestimate the transformative power of experiencing life in democratic systems at first hand, especially for future generations,” they said.

“Our visa policies should reflect that and continue to allow for people-to-people contacts in the EU with Russian nationals not linked to the Russian government,” they added.

All five EU countries that share a border with Russia have called for a visa ban, saying the step is needed to put further pressure on Moscow.

Four dead in Russian shelling of Kharkiv, says regional governor

08:59 , Rory Sullivan

At least four people have been killed and another four injured on Tuesday in Russian shelling in the city of Kharkiv, the regional governor has said.

“As a result of the shelling of the central part of Kharkiv, at least 4 people died and 4 more were injured,” Oleh Synehubov wrote on Telegram.

Despite evidence to the contrary, Russia denies that its forces have deliberately targeted civilians.

Russia suffers heavy losses in southern Ukraine, Kyiv claims

08:44 , Rory Sullivan

Ukraine said it has inflicted heavy losses on the Kremlin’s forces in the south, with 82 Russian troops reportedly killed and 30 units of equipments allegedly destroyed.

Operation Command “South” also said the Ukrainian army had hit three Russian ammunition depots and a makeshift bridge. The Independent has been unable to verify the claims.

The command’s spokesperson said on Monday that its counteroffensive around Kherson “had unquestionably weakened the enemy”.

However, Russia hit out at the claims, suggesting the “enemy’s offensive attempt failed miserably”.

Photos from Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

08:30 , Rory Sullivan

#icymi

Experts from the UN’s nuclear watchdog will reach the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant later this week to conduct safety tests.

This comes after Ukraine and Russia accused each other of endangering the site, with reports of shelling in the vicinity of its nuclear reactors.

Yesterday, the US-based satellite company Maxar published pictures from the site. They show recent damage to the roof of a building near the nuclear reactors and a group of armoured personnel carriers close-by.

After Ukraine and the UN called for the site to be demilitarised, Russia said it has no plans to leave the facility.

EU could establish military training mission for Ukraine, says senior diplomat

08:10 , Rory Sullivan

The EU could agree to establishing a military training mission for Ukraine, the bloc’s foreign policy chief has said.

“A general, overall political agreement (on a joint training mission) is what I think we have to get today...I hope we will have a political green light for this mission,”Josep Borrell said from Prague on Tuesday.

Up until now, individual countries have been training Ukrainian troops in how to operate donated Western weapons, but there has been no bloc-wide policy.

Ukraine increases artillery strikes against Russian positions near Kherson, says MoD

07:53 , Rory Sullivan

Ukrainian artillery strikes against Russian positions in the south of the county increased on Monday, the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.

The UK’s latest update on the Ukraine war suggested Kyiv has launched a counterattack near the Russian-held city of Kherson.

Although Moscow has sought to reinforce its positions around the city since early August, its troops are still vulnerable there, according to the MoD.

“Most of the [Russian] units around Kherson are likely under-manned and are reliant upon fragile supply lines by ferry and pontoon bridges across the Dnipro,” it said.

Zelensky tells Russian troops to flee as Ukraine launches Kherson counteroffensive

07:44 , Rory Sullivan

Russian troops should leave Ukraine if they want to survive, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

“Ukraine is taking back its own,” he said, as his troops launched a counteroffensive near the Russian-held city of Kherson on the Black Sea.

Oleksiy Arestovych, one of the president’s advisors, said Ukrainian troops had burst through the Russian lines in several places “in a few hours”.

Moscow, on the other hand, claimed that it had repelled the atttack.

07:40 , Rory Sullivan

Good morning, and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the war in Ukraine.

Six months into the conflict, Kyiv appears to have launched a counterattack around the Russian-held city of Kherson in southern Ukraine.