Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has urged Russian troops to flee from an offensive launched by his forces near the southern city of Kherson saying Ukraine's military were taking back their territory, though Russia said the assault had failed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has urged Russian troops to flee from an offensive launched by his forces near the southern city of Kherson saying Ukraine's military were taking back their territory, though Russia said the assault had failed. NUCLEAR PLANT

* A team from the U.N. nuclear watchdog (IAEA) is heading to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the agency's chief said, as Russia and Ukraine traded accusations of shelling in its vicinity, stirring fears of a radiation disaster. * Russia's defence ministry said Russian forces shot down a Ukrainian drone that was trying to attack the Zaporizhzhia reactor complex while other officials said a Ukrainian missile hit a fuel depot at the plant.

* The White House said Russia should agree to a demilitarized zone around the plant. * Thousands of people fleeing Russia-occupied areas of south Ukraine are arriving in a city near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear site despite fears of a radiation leak from fighting. For many, shelling in their hometowns is a more urgent danger.

FIGHTING * Ukrainian troops mounting a counter-offensive have broken through Russian defences in several sectors of the front line near the city of Kherson, a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

* Russian shelling hit residential areas of the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv, killing two people and destroying homes, city officials and witnesses said. Reuters was unable to independently verify the battlefield reports.

DIPLOMACY, ECONOMY * Germany faces the "bitter reality" that Russia will not restore gas supplies, the German economy minister said, ahead of planned halt by state energy giant Gazprom of exports to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.

* Ukrainian President Zelenskiy accused Russia of economic terrorism as the cost of Europe's energy crisis spiralled with Germany on the hook for at least 19 billion euros to bail out its biggest importer of Russian gas. * Russia's oil output has exceeded expectations in the wake of the war in Ukraine but it will find it increasingly difficult to uphold production as Western sanctions begin to bite, the head of the International Energy Agency said.

* Ukraine's agricultural exports could rise to 6 million-6.5 million tonnes in October, double the volume seen in July, as its sea ports gradually reopen, the agriculture minister said. 

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)