WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Turkey says it is working to renew Black Sea grain deal

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday that Ankara is working hard to extend a U.N.-backed initiative that has enabled Ukraine to export grain from ports blockaded by Russia.

FIGHTING

* Ukrainian forces defending Bakhmut face increasingly strong pressure from Russian forces, British military intelligence said on Saturday, with intense fighting taking place in and around the eastern city.

* A woman and two children were killed in Russian mortar shelling of a village in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson, the head of Ukraine's presidential office said on Sunday.

* The Russian army hit a command centre of the Ukrainian forces' Azov Regiment in southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Sunday. The ministry did not elaborate on the attack. Reuters could not independently verify the account.

* The death toll from a Russian missile strike that hit an apartment block in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia rose to 11 on Saturday after a woman's body was found in the debris, the state emergency service said.

* Top commanders of what Russia calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine have briefed Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on the current situation and action plans, his ministry said on Sunday.

WEAPONS, SANCTIONS

* Two Ukrainian pilots are in Arizona to fly flight simulators and be evaluated by the U.S. military, two U.S. officials said on Saturday, as Washington remains mute on whether it will send fighter jets or sophisticated remotely piloted drones to Kyiv.

* German defence contractor Rheinmetall is in negotiations about building a tank factory in Ukraine, the newspaper Rheinische Post reported on Saturday, citing an interview with CEO Armin Papperger.

* In addition to Leopard 2 tanks, Rheinmetall wants to buy 96 Leopard 1 tanks from Swiss defence firm Ruag to send to Ukraine, the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger reported on Saturday.

* Germany is making slow progress in enforcing sanctions against Russian oligarchs and institutions, according to government numbers seen by Reuters on Saturday.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Shoigu meets with commanders of special military operation groups — Defense Ministry

Russian Defense Minister, General of the Army Sergey Shoigu held a meeting with the commanders of groups of troops in the zone of Russia’s special military operation, the ministry reported on Sunday.

"Russian Defense Minister Shoigu held a meeting with the commanders of the special military operation groups. He heard commanders' reports on the current situation in their areas of responsibility, as well as plans for future actions," the statement said.

According to the ministry, Shoigu focused on creating the conditions for the safe deployment of personnel in the field, organizing comprehensive support for the troops, and focusing on the work of medical and rear units.

Shoigu had previously heard reports from the Russian Deputy Ministers of Defense on organizing continuous supply of weapons, military equipment, and ammunition to troops. Special attention was paid to the organization of reserve unit combat training, military-political work, and other types of comprehensive troop support.

** Russian forces hit command post of Azov nationalist regiment in Zaporozhye region

Russian troops hit the command post of the nationalist regiment Azov (banned in the Russian Federation) in the Zaporozhye region around Maryevka, official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov announced on Sunday.

"The command post of the nationalist Azov regiment was hit near the village of Maryevka, Zaporozhye region," Konashenkov said.

He added that the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost over 30 military personnel in the Kherson region over the day as a result of fire damage inflicted by Russian troops. "Over 30 Ukrainian servicemen, 10 vehicles, the Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer, as well as the Msta-B and D-30 howitzers were destroyed in a day as a result of fire damage in the direction of Kherson," he said.

The Russian forces also hit 83 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in firing positions over the past day.

Meanwhile, units of the Southern Group of Forces destroyed over 210 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Donetsk region over the past day, official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Konashenkov added. "More than 210 Ukrainian servicemen were killed over the day in the Donetsk direction as a result of active actions by units of the Southern Group of Forces, air strikes, and artillery fire," he said.

Reuters/TASS