Russia-Ukraine war: grain deal can be extended by only 60 days, says Russian minister – live updates

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Ukrainian defence forces repelled more than 100 attacks along the frontline, according to the General staff of the armed forces of Ukraine.

In its latest update, it claimed Russian forces launched five rocket strikes against civil infrastructure in Sumy and Donetsk that resulted in deaths and injuries among civilians. The Russian airforce carried out 35 airstrikes and 76 rocket salvo attacks.

Though it says the operational environment “has not changed significantly”, near Kupyansk and Lyman, Russian forces are mounting attacks against Ukrainian defences.

Ukrainian forces carried out 10 airstrikes on Russian forces, and hit five concentration areas with artillery, along with three ammunition warehouses and four communications systems.

Russian forces have made “marginal” gains in several parts of Ukraine according to the latest analysis by the Institute for The Study of War (ISW).

Northeast of Kupyansk, Russian forces appeared to advance 17km and 7km east of Siversk.

However the ISW says Russian forces have not been able to complete a turning movement around Bakhmut despite further advances in the area.

Military bloggers associated with the Wagner Group have speculated the organisation is attempting to extend its flank west of Bakhmut to the Siversky Donetsk-Donbas water canal to create an “artificial operational encirclement”.

These same commentators have also been growing concerned about a build up of Ukrainian troops and equipment that may signal a counterattack to break Wagner’s blockade of the city, and a broader offensive among the entire front line.

Fierce fighting is raging for control of the centre of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, forces from both sides of the conflict have said, as casualties continue to mount in the longest and bloodiest battle of Russia’s war.

Russia ratcheted up its efforts to take Bakhmut in early February after months of intense fighting around the town, and has since inched into the small city’s suburbs. Ukraine’s forces are now fighting off attacks from the north, east and south. Their only road out, to the west, is under Russian artillery fire.

Ukraine insists there is a strategy behind continuing the fight for Bakhmut. The head of Ukraine’s ground forces, Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, said on Sunday that it was using the defence of Bakhmut to buy time until Ukraine is able to carry out an anticipated spring offensive. Syrskyi also said Ukraine was using the opportunity to kill as many Russian troops as possible and wear down its reserves.

It is necessary to buy time to build reserves and launch a counteroffensive, which is not far off. [Ukrainian soldiers are] inflicting the heaviest possible losses, sparing neither themselves nor the enemy.

For more on this story, read the full report.

Russia to extend critical grain agreement for 60 days

Russian has suggested renewing a crucial deal to allow the safe export of gain from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports for half the term of the previous agreement, Reuters reports.

The proposal was first brokered between Russia and Ukraine by the United Nations and Turkey last July. Without this grain, a number of countries would experience a critical food shortage.

In November the deal was extended for 120 days but is now expected to be renewed on Saturday for 60 days after Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Vershinin met with UN Officials in Geneva, citing restrictions on Russian agricultural exporters.

Ukraine’s infrastructure minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said that Russia’s stance went against the agreement, but did not reject Moscow’s 60-day proposal.

[The grain] agreement involves at least 120 days of extension, therefore Russia’s position to extend the deal only for 60 days contradicts the document signed by Turkey and the UN.

We’re waiting for the official position of the UN and Turkey as the guarantors of the initiative.

Opening Summary

Hello and welcome back to our live coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine – this is Royce Kurmelovs bringing you the latest developments.

China’s president, Xi Jinping, is planning to visit Russia as soon as next week, according to sources speaking to the Reuters news agency. The visit comes after senior Chinese officials flagged that China’s values its relationship to Russia in the face of western hostility.

Xi also plans to speak with Volodymyr Zelenskiy for the first time since the start of the war, according to the Wall Street Journal. China’s president is to speak virtually with his Ukrainian counterpart, probably after a visit to Moscow next week, the paper reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The Institute for The Study of War (ISW) says Russian forces have made “marginal” gains in some parts of Ukraine. Crucially the ISW says Russian forces have not been able to complete an encircling operation in the area around Bakhmut despite small advances overnight.

Meanwhile, Serbian economy minister Rade Basta called for sanctions to be imposed against Russia. Basta said Serbia, which has traditionally had a close relationship with Russia, had paid a “high price” for having delayed.

In other developments:

• The Italian government has said Russian mercenary group Wagner is behind a surge in migrant boats trying to cross the central Mediterranean, as part of Moscow’s strategy to retaliate against countries supporting Ukraine, Reuters reported. Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin responded to the claims, saying, “We have no idea what’s happening with the migrant crisis, we don’t concern ourselves with it.”

• The international criminal court intends to open two war crimes cases tied to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and will seek arrest warrants for several people. The cases are the first international charges to be brought forward since the start of the conflict, the newspaper reports.

• Moscow says a deal allowing the safe export of grain from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports will be extended only for a period of 60 days, half the term of the previous renewal, Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Vershinin has said.

• Britain has declared that the UK’s security hinges on the outcome of the Ukraine war in an update to its foreign policy framework published on Monday. The UK will invest an extra £5bn in the armed forces over two years and increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.

• Britain’s Royal Navy said it was escorting a Russian frigate and tanker in waters close to the UK having shadowed the vessels through the Channel on Sunday morning.

• President Zelenskiy said his government will spend $13.5bn on defence, including military salaries and drones this year.