Sept 7 (Reuters) – Ukrainian forces shot down five Russian cruise missiles on Tuesday, most of them in the south, President Volodymyr Zelensky said, but made no mention of a new military success in the east hinted at earlier by officials. read more

ENERGY

  • United Nations chief Guterres urged Russia and Ukraine on Tuesday to agree on a demilitarized perimeter around the Russian-controlled Zaporozhzhia nuclear power plant. read more
  • Russia’s Gazprom says it has signed a deal to begin switching payments for gas supplies to China in yuan and rubles instead of dollars. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up

BATTLEFIELD REPORTS

  • The commander of a southern Ukrainian city settled by Russia was seriously wounded in an explosion, an official said, the latest in a series of apparent assassination attempts in occupied territories. read more
  • Although Ukrainian officials did not provide specific details, military bloggers and witnesses reported fighting around Balaklia, an eastern town between Kharkiv and Russian-controlled Izyum that is a rail hub used by Moscow.

DIPLOMACY/POLITICS

  • Russia could buy “literally millions” of artillery shells and rockets from old Cold War ally North Korea, the White House said. read more
  • Russia has challenged a UN-brokered deal with Ukraine to boost grain and fertilizer exports from both countries, accusing Western nations of reneging on pledges to help facilitate Moscow’s missions. read more
  • New British Prime Minister Liz Truss spoke to President Zelensky in her first call with a foreign leader and accepted his invitation to visit Ukraine. read more

ECONOMY/SHOPPING

  • The head of Russia’s VTB ( VTBR.MM ) said the country’s banking sector has largely weathered the worst effects of Western sanctions and that systemic capitalization of Russian banks is probably not needed. read more
  • The U.S. Treasury Department is seeking to design a simple compliance regime to impose a price cap on Russian oil exports and hopes China and India will join the coalition or at least take advantage of it, Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said. read more

I ATTACH, REFERENCE

  • “It is an indication of how much its defense industrial establishment is suffering as a result of this war and the degree of desperation.” White House National Security Spokesman Kirby said about Putin’s arms purchases from North Korea. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Written by Stephen Coates Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.