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Moscow will summon the UK’s ambassador to Russia Deborah Bronnert over her baseless accusation that British experts were involved in an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on the Black Sea fleet in Crimea. The foreign ministry announced the intervention after suspending its participation in the UN-brokered Black Sea Initiative over a major drone attack on ships in Sevastopol Bay on the Crimean peninsula – a region the Kremlin annexed from Ukraine in 2014 . The Russian Defense Ministry said the attack was carried out under the guidance and leadership of British naval experts, a claim the UK has dismissed as false. “These actions were carried out under the guidance of British experts,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. “In this context, the British ambassador will soon be summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry.” It comes as the UN Security Council is set to vote today on calls for a commission to investigate Russian claims that Ukraine and the US are conducting “military biological” activities that violate the convention banning the use of biological weapons.

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Russia “will continue to participate in the UN-brokered Black Sea Grains Initiative”

Russia will resume its participation in the Black Sea grain deal, the state-run TASS news agency reported, citing the Defense Ministry. Moscow suspended its participation in the deal over the weekend, saying it could not guarantee the safety of civilian ships crossing the Black Sea because of an attack on its fleet there. Emily Atkinson November 2, 2022 10:33 am 1667384757

Russia Summons UK Ambassador Over Black Sea Fleet Drone Attack

Moscow will summon the UK’s ambassador to Russia Deborah Bronnert over her baseless accusation that British experts were involved in an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on the Black Sea fleet in Crimea. The foreign ministry announced the intervention after suspending its participation in the UN-brokered Black Sea Initiative over a major drone attack on ships in Sevastopol Bay on the Crimean peninsula – a region the Kremlin annexed from Ukraine in 2014 . The Russian Defense Ministry said the attack was carried out under the guidance and leadership of British naval experts, a claim the UK has dismissed as false. “These actions were carried out under the guidance of British experts,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. “In this context, the British ambassador will soon be summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry.” Emily Atkinson November 2, 2022 10:25 am 1667383211

Moscow arrests Ukrainian national on charges of ‘sabotaging’ Crimea power line

Moscow has arrested a Ukrainian citizen on suspicion of planning to “sabotage” a power line in Crimea, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Wednesday. The FSB said a man in his 40s was found carrying power line diagrams, three explosive devices and instructions on how to use them, and suspected the man had been recruited by Ukrainian intelligence. Emily Atkinson November 2, 2022 10:00 am 1667380875

Ukraine’s grain exports “down 32%”.

Ukraine’s grain exports fell in the 2022/23 season to nearly 13.4 million tonnes from 19.7 million tonnes at the same date last season, according to data from the agriculture ministry. The country’s grain exports have plummeted since Russia invaded in February, with the closure of its Black Sea ports driving up global food prices and sparking fears of shortages in Africa and the Middle East. Three Black Sea ports were unblocked in late July as part of a deal between Moscow and Kiev brokered by the United Nations and Turkey. The missions continue despite Russia’s decision to suspend its participation in the deal. Emily Atkinson2 November 2022 09:21 1667378402

Poland orders the construction of a wall along the Kaliningrad border

Poland’s defense minister ordered the construction of a temporary barrier along the border with the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. The move comes as Warsaw suspects Russia plans to facilitate illegal border crossings by Asian and African migrants. Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said the border must be secured for Poland to feel safe. He said he had authorized the construction of a temporary barrier along the 210-kilometer (130-mile) border. Work will begin on Wednesday. Emily Atkinson2 November 2022 08:40 1667376564

Russian forces Wagner ‘making advances of 100-200 meters per day’

The owner of Russian private military company Wagner Group claimed its forces were making advances of 100-200 meters a day, according to the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD). In its daily intelligence update, posted on Twitter, the Foreign Ministry said Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed the significant advance was “normal in modern warfare.” The post continues: “According to their military doctrine, Russian forces plan to advance 30 kilometers or more per day in most conditions. In February, Russian forces planned to advance 1000 kilometers through Ukraine within a month. In September, Ukrainian forces achieved advances of more than 20 kilometers per day.” “In the last two months, Prigozhin has dropped all pretense of not being associated with Wagner and has been more clear in his public statements. He is likely trying to erase his credibility within the strained Russian national security system.” Emily Atkinson2 November 2022 08:09 1667375431

Russia ‘launches Soyuz rocket carrying military satellite’

Moscow has launched a Soyuz rocket carrying a military satellite into space, Russian news agencies reported, citing the Defense Ministry. The rocket — a Soyuz-2.1b medium-class launch vehicle — lifted off at 9:48 a.m. Moscow time (0648 GMT) from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, according to the ministry. He did not provide details on the purpose of the satellite. Emily Atkinson2 November 2022 07:50 1667374215

Watch: Russian State TV Editor Blames ‘Friends’ for Russia-America Divide

Russian State TV Editor Blames ‘Friends’ for Russia-America Divide Emily Atkinson2 November 2022 07:30 1667373350

The ships are sailing after Russia’s exit from the grain deal

Ships laden with grain have left Ukraine despite Russia suspending its participation in a UN-brokered deal that ensures the safe passage of wartime food supplies. The UN said three ships carrying 84,490 metric tons of corn, wheat and sunflower left Ukraine through the humanitarian sea corridor established in July, while another 36 ships completed inspections near Turkey to head to their final destinations. The corridor, brokered by Turkey and the UN, was seen as a breakthrough to ensure that Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia would receive grain and other food from the Black Sea region during Russia’s war in Ukraine. Russia pulled out of the deal last weekend. The UN said that while the ships sailed on Tuesday, no such ships would sail on Wednesday, raising fears about the future of the initiative. Amir Abdulla, the UN coordinator of the deal, said the ships were expected to set sail again on Thursday. Sravasti Dasgupta2 November 2022 07:15 1667372450

Ukrainian official asks for more air defense assistance

Mykhailo Podolyak, Ukraine’s senior adviser and chief negotiator, told the Independent that Russia had one goal: “to destroy the civilian population of Ukraine” by freezing them to death. Mr Podolyak wants Ukraine’s allies, particularly the UK, to help rebuild damaged facilities and send more weapons. Read Bel Trew’s exclusive report from Kyiv: Sravasti Dasgupta2 November 2022 07:00