Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

Ukraine’s military tightened the noose around Russian forces occupying the southern city of Kherson as the government ordered nationwide curbs on electricity use because of Russian missile and drone attacks on power plants.

Putin declares martial law in occupied parts of Ukraine, boosts Russia’s war footing

On the ground

• Russian-installed authorities in the region of Kherson plan to evacuate about 50,000-60,000 people over the next six days.

• A Russian missile strike hit a major thermal power station in the city of Burshtyn in western Ukraine, the region’s governor said, the latest in a wave of attacks on infrastructure ahead of winter.

• In a package of moves apparently intended to counter battlefield defeats by Ukrainian troops, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a new special coordinating council to work with Russia’s regions to boost Moscow’s war effort.

• He also declared martial law in four partially occupied regions of Ukraine that Russia claims as its own and restricted movement in and out of regions near Ukraine.

Diplomacy

• Russia said it will reassess cooperation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres if he sends experts to Ukraine to inspect drones that Western powers say were made in Iran and used by Moscow in violation of a UN resolution.

• Britain’s Chief of the Defence Staff Tony Radakin urged the international community to remain united against what he called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “deeply irresponsible” nuclear rhetoric.

• The European Parliament on Wednesday awarded the people of Ukraine its annual Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to honour their fight against Russia’s invasion.

• Israel offered to help Ukrainians develop alerts for civilians under air attack, signalling a softening in its policy of non-military intervention after Kyiv appealed for counter-measures against Iranian-made drones used by Russia.

• European Union governments have provisionally agreed to impose sanctions on eight people and entities over the alleged use of Iranian-made drones in Russian strikes on Ukraine.

• The EU Commission head called Russia’s attacks on power stations and other infrastructure in Ukraine “acts of pure terror” that amount to war crimes.