Live blog: Moscow blacklists many Britons, including Labour leader, ex-PM

Dozens of British citizens blacklisted by Russia

Russia has said it was blacklisting 39 British citizens, including Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and former prime minister David Cameron, adding to the list of British citizens — mostly politicians and journalists — who were banned from entering the country since the start of its military campaign in Ukraine. 

Russia's foreign ministry said on Monday that the listed UK citizens "contribute to the hostile course of London aimed at the demonisation of our country and its international isolation".

The new additions include several Labour MPs, Scottish politicians and members of the House of Lords. Among the media names is the head of the BBC's newsgathering Jonathan Munro, TV presenter Piers Morgan and BBC News presenter Huw Edwards.

Moscow seeks to ban 'unfriendly' nations from adopting Russians

Russian lawmakers have introduced a bill to the lower house of the country's parliament banning the adoption of Russian children by citizens of "unfriendly countries". 

The bill allows for the adoption bans to be lifted in the future should a given country stop carrying out "unfriendly actions" against Russia.

"Sending our children to be raised in 'unfriendly countries' is a blow to the future of the nation," the bill's authors wrote.

Ukraine says over 40 settlements retaken in key Kherson region

Ukrainian forces say they have recaptured more than 40 settlements in the key southern region of Kherson, as Kiev looks to drive back Russian troops in a counter-offensive, the local governor said.

"Today, 46 settlements have already been de-occupied in the Kherson region," Dmytro Butriy, the head of the Ukrainian regional administration, told national TV.

Moscow seized almost all the territory of the economically and strategically important region bordering the annexed Crimea peninsula during the first days of the conflict. But in recent weeks the Ukrainian army, bolstered by deliveries of Western-supplied long-range artillery, have sought to stage a counter-offensive in the area.

Russia outlines plans to rebuild Ukraine's devastated Mariupol

A senior Russian official has outlined plans to rebuild Ukraine's southern port city of Mariupol that suffered a devastating siege and heavy shelling before being captured by Russian troops.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin said in an interview with Russia's RBC TV channel that the first buildings currently under construction will be ready by the autumn.

"The first residential buildings will be standing by September. We will already have the first hospitals, will build a centre of the emergencies ministry," he said.

Russia: Harpoon, HIMARS systems destroyed in Ukraine

Russia's defence ministry has said that its forces destroyed two US-made HIMARS in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, and a launch system for Harpoon anti-ship missiles in Odessa region, Interfax reported.

UK: Russia continues to attempt tactical assaults on Bakhmut

Britain has said that Russia had continued to attempt tactical assaults on the Bakhmut axis in eastern Ukraine over the last four days, but had only managed to make slow progress.

"As briefed by the Ukrainian authorities last week, Russia is likely reallocating a significant number of its forces from the northern Donbass sector to southern Ukraine," the British Ministry of Defence said in an intelligence update.

Britain said that Russia was probably adjusting the operational design of its attacks on Donbass and had likely identified its Zaporizhzhia front as a vulnerable area in need of reinforcement.

First shipment of grain leaves Odessa under Türkiye-brokered deal

As part of a recent deal brokered by Türkiye, the first ship carrying Ukrainian grain has departed from the port of Odessa to Lebanon.

Loaded with corn, the Sierra Leone-flagged dry cargo ship Razoni left Odessa on Monday morning, as agreed by the sides of the accord, the Turkish Ministry of National Defence said in a statement.

"The ship Razoni has left the port of Odessa bound for Tripoli in Lebanon. It is expected in Istanbul on August 2. It will then continue its journey after it has been inspected in Istanbul," the ministry said.

READ MORE: First shipment of Ukraine grain leaves Odessa under Türkiye-brokered deal

Moscow strikes Ukraine's south, drone hits Russian fleet HQ

Ukraine has said the "brutal" shelling by Moscow so far of the southern city Mykolaiv killed a grain tycoon, as Russia claimed an attack from a drone wounded six personnel at the headquarters of its Black Sea fleet.

Russian bombardment of the eastern town of Bakhmut was intense after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for civilians to leave the frontline Donetsk region, which has borne the brunt of the Kremlin's offensive.

Russian authorities in the Crimean peninsula — annexed by Moscow from Ukraine in 2014 — said a small explosive device from a commercial drone, likely launched nearby, hit the navy command in Sevastopol.

The local mayor blamed "Ukrainian nationalists" for the attack that forced the cancellation of festivities marking Russia's annual holiday celebrating the navy.