Russia-Ukraine war – live: Zelensky visits east frontline as Kyiv claims long-range attack on Kremlin factory

Serbia is close to signing a deal on the purchase of 12 French Rafale multi-purpose fighter jets, the Serbian president announced Tuesday, in what would mark a shift from its traditional military supplier Russia.

President Aleksandar Vucic spoke during his two-day visit to Paris and talks with French President Emmanuel Macron as well as French defense officials including Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron is expected to urge U.S. lawmakers to approve a new package of aid for Ukraine when he visits Washington this week, warning Congress that it is putting the security of the West at risk by continuing to hold up the funding.

The trip is a chance for Cameron to personally deliver the message he posted on social media last week in which he called on Western leaders to put pressure on House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans in Congress to approve additional aid for Ukraine, as Britain and the European Union have already done.

Russia has claimed that Ukraine attacked the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant for a third day with a drone – but Ukrainian military intelligence denied that Kyiv had anything to do with the attacks.

Ukraine has denied it is behind a series of drone attacks on the plant over the past three days, including three drone attacks on Sunday, which the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said had endangered nuclear safety.

“The unique training center of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant was attacked,” the Russian-controlled plant said in a statement.

The drone fell on the roof of the training centre, it said. No one was injured.

The Kremlin has said the drone attacks on the nuclear plant were carried out by Ukraine and said they were very dangerous with extremely grave potential consequences.

Ukrainian military intelligence said Kyiv does not take part in action against nuclear facilities.

“Ukraine‘s position is clear and unequivocal: we do not commit any military actions or provocations on nuclear facilities,” Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine‘s military intelligence, said on national TV.

A state of emergency has been declared in multiple regions of southern Russia after two dams on the Ural River burst in Orsk over the weekend, exacerbating an already difficult situation in the area caused by extreme seasonal floods.

Editorial: The British people want to support the Ukrainians, but they must bear the cost

A woman and a child were killed when Ukrainian forces shelled the village of Klimovo in Russia’s Bryansk region, governor Alexander Bogomaz has claimed.

He alleged that artillery hit the “very centre of the village”, causing a building to catch fire and damaging several cars.

He did not provide any images detailing the destruction. The Independent could not verify his claims.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has visited near the frontlines in Kharkiv, where the construction of fortifications is ongoing.

The exact location of his visit was not disclosed but the region has come under increasing pressure from Russian missiles and drones over the past few weeks.

Russian land forces are also continuing a lengthy attempt to surround the city of Kupyansk towards the southeastern corner of the region.

Three people were killed in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine‘s southern Kherson region by Ukrainian shelling on Monday, the Russian-installed regional head Vladimir Saldo has claimed.

Six northern Europe countries bordering the North Sea said Tuesday that they have signed an agreement to work together to protect underwater infrastructure in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean from an increased risk of sabotage.

The Danish Ministry for Climate, Energy and Utilities called the North Sea a hub for critical infrastructure that connects Europe through electricity cables, gas pipes and telecommunications connections and is an important source of renewable energy.

Ukraine‘s military spy agency GUR struck a main production facility of a Russian aviation factory in Russia’s Voronezh region, a Ukrainian intelligence source told Reuters.

Russia’s defence ministry said earlier on Tuesday that two drones were downed over the region.

The source said the 711th aviation repair plant in the town of Borisoglebsk was hit. It did not provide any details of the scale of the damage.

The town is at least 350 kilometres away from the Ukrainian government-held side of the front line in the northeast.

Reuters could not independently verify the accounts.

Kyiv has recently stepped up attacks deep in Russia’s territory, targeting military facilities and energy infrastructure that helps Moscow’s war effort. It mostly uses various types of long-range domestically produced drones.