The new grain deal should help the Black Sea port’s economy – but existence has been hollowed out by the pressure of war

Barely 12 hours after Moscow signed a deal with Ukraine to allow monitored grain exports from Ukraine’s southern ports, Russia targeted the country’s main port of Odesa – through which grain shipments would take place – with cruise missile strikes.

The attack raised new doubts about the viability of the deal, which was intended to release about 20m tonnes of grain to ward off famine in parts of the developing world.

Trying top Russians for act of aggression could bring indictments ‘within three months’, says official

• Russia-Ukraine war: latest updates

Ukraine has said it wants to establish a one-off international tribunal to try Russia’s top regime members for the act of aggression, which could see it issuing an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin.

Andriy Smyrnov, Ukraine’s deputy head of the presidential administration, said on Thursday that Ukraine believed trying Russia separately for the act of aggression, with international participation, would speed up its quest to hold the Russian president and his inner circle accountable.

This live blog is now closed, you can find our latest coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war here

The European Union will set out emergency plans later today to reduce gas demand within months, warning countries that without deep cuts now they could struggle for fuel during winter if Russia cuts off deliveries.

Reuters reports:

Europe is racing to fill its gas storage ahead of winter and build a supply buffer in case Moscow further restricts supplies in retaliation for European support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. Russia’s Gazprom has already halted deliveries to some EU states.

The European Commission will urge countries to prepare for possible further cuts by slashing gas use. A draft of the EU plan, seen by Reuters, would propose a voluntary target for countries to cut their gas demand over the next eight months, which could be made legally binding in a supply emergency.

EU officials said the target would be for a 10-15% cut in gas use.

The proposal, which could change before it is published, would need approval from EU countries who are largely responsible for their own energy policies.

There has been resistance from some countries, including Poland, who feel their contingency plans do not need a boost from Brussels.

A Reuters snap suggests Ukraine has shelled Antonivskyi bridge in the Russia-controlled southern Kherson region again, according to reporting from Russia’s Tass news agency citing Russia-installed authorities.

The bridge is badly damaged and likely to be closed to traffic today, Tass added.

Rachel Hall here, taking over from Samantha Lock on the blog – do get in touch if there’s anything you think we’ve missed. You can reach me at rachel.hall@theguardian.com.

Vitaliy Kim, taekwondo-practising governor of Mykolaiv region, is famous for making anti-Russian gags on his social media channels, but deadly serious about defeating his foe in the Kremlin

• Russia-Ukraine war: live updates

When Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to invade Ukraine on 24 February, Vitaliy Kim was still in bed sound asleep.

“I was dreaming something, but can’t remember what, and when I woke up, everybody was panicking,” said Kim, 41, governor of the industrial region of Mykolaiv. “It was frightening. People were asking me what to do now.”