Live updates: Latest news on Russia and the war in Ukraine

World Bank provides Ukraine with additional $500 million

A Ukrainian helicopter flies in Donetsk region, on September 22, 2022.

Anatolii Stepanov | Afp | Getty Images

The World Bank has distributed another $500 million to Ukraine to help finance the country's critical spending needs.

The financing, provided by its lending arm, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, had been supported by $500 million in loan guarantees from the United Kingdom that were announced on Sept. 30, the bank said.

In total, the bank said it has authorized $13 billion in emergency financing forUkraine, of which $11.4 billion has been distributed.

A report published in September by the World Bank, the Ukrainian government and the European Commission estimated reconstruction and recovery costs totaled $349 billion as of June 1. However, the number is expected to keep increasing as the war drags on.

Natalie Tham

Mon, Oct 24 20226:26 PM EDT

ISTANBUL, TURKIYE - AUGUST 09: An aerial view of "Glory" named empty grain ship as Representatives of Russia, Ukraine, Turkiye and the United Nations (UN) of the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) conduct inspection on vessel in Istanbul, Turkiye on August 09, 2022. The UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed a deal on July 22 to reopen three Ukrainian ports -- Odessa, Chernomorsk, and Yuzhny -- for grain that has been stuck for months because of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which is now in its sixth month. (Photo by Ali Atmaca/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

The organization overseeing the export of grain from Ukraine said it has approved four vessels to leave the besieged country.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, a deal announced in July among Ukraine, Russia, the United Nations and Turkey, said the vessels are carrying 159,662 metric tons of grain and other crops.

Two ships will depart from Ukraine's Yuzhny-Pivdennyi for China and Italy carrying corn and sunflower meal. One vessel will leave Odesa for Vietnam and is carrying nearly 57,000 metric tons of wheat. The fourth ship will depart from Chornomorsk to Algeria carrying 14,270 metric tons of wheat.

Read more about theBlack Sea Grain Initiative here.

Amanda Macias

Mon, Oct 24 20225:46 PM EDT

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shakes hands with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, who is to head a planned mission to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine August 30, 2022.

Ukrainian Presidential Press Service | via Reuters

The International Atomic Energy Agency will visit two nuclear locations in Ukraine, following a request from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to disprove Russian allegations that Ukraine plans to use a "dirty bomb."

"The IAEA inspected one of these locations one month ago and all our findings were consistent with Ukraine's safeguards declarations," IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said in a statement. "No undeclared nuclear activities or material were found there."

Both sites are under the U.N. nuclear watchdog's safeguards and receive regular visits from IAEA regulators, according to the agency. The IAEA said the purpose of the upcoming visit is to detect any undeclared nuclear activities or materials that could be consistent with Russia's "dirty bomb" allegations.

Rocio Fabbro

Mon, Oct 24 20225:46 PM EDT

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a joint news briefing with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Latvian President Egils Levits, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 9, 2022.

Valentyn Ogirenko | Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy released a statement touting the achievements of the Ukrainian military, marking exactly eight months since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.

"We defended the independence of our state and Russia cannot change that," he wrote in a Telegram post. "We are liberating Ukrainian land step by step. Donbas, Kharkiv region, Kherson region."

He also expressed hope regarding two other Russian occupied regions, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea, claiming that "the time will come and all of Ukraine will be free."

Zelenskyy pointed to Russia's weakened global stature as a result of the war, with the loss of the country's gas and military influence and growing political isolation. He also referred to Russian allegations that Ukraine was prepared to use a "dirty bomb" on its territory as an attempt to "squeeze something out of Western countries" by "inventing various nonsense about Ukraine."

"Ukraine is breaking the so-called second army of the world and from now on Russia will only be a beggar," he said.

Rocio Fabbro

Mon, Oct 24 20225:24 PM EDT

Sweden's center-right government will fulfil all requirements under a deal with Turkey to join NATO and will concentrate external relations to its immediate neighborhood while dropping the previous administration's "feminist foreign policy," the country's top diplomat said.

Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrm said the new government shares Turkey's concern about the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization in Turkey, Europe and the United States.

"There will be no nonsense from the Swedish government when it comes to the PKK," Billstrm told the Associated Press in an interview. "We are fully behind a policy which means that terrorist organizations don't have a right to function on Swedish territory."

Turkey stalled Sweden and Finland's historic bid to join NATO over concerns that the two countries Sweden in particular had become a safe haven for members of the PKK and affiliated groups.

Associated Press

Mon, Oct 24 20225:09 PM EDT

Yum Brands said that it reached a deal to sell itsKFCrestaurants inRussiato a local operator there, paving a path to fully exit the country.

The restaurant operator, which also owns theTaco Belland Pizza Hut brands, will transfer ownership of its Russian KFC locations, operating system and master franchise rights toSmart Service Ltd, which is run by existing Russian KFC franchiseesKonstantin Yurievich KotovandAndrey Eduardovich Oskolkov, Yum said in a press release.

The buyer will be responsible for re-branding the restaurants and retaining existing employees.

Many Western companies have sold their Russian assets to local managers as they scramble to comply with sanctions overRussia'sinvasion ofUkraine.

Reuters

Mon, Oct 24 20224:55 PM EDT

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price holds a press briefing on Afghanistan at the State Department in Washington, August 16, 2021.

Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

The U.S. has seen no indications that Russia is preparing to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

"At this time, we haven't seen any reason to adjust our own nuclear posture, nor do we have indications that Russia is preparing to use nuclear weapons, but we've heard these very concerning statements," Price told reporters during a daily press briefing.

The U.S. is closely monitoring Russia's nuclear rhetoric, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on a separate call.

Amanda Macias

Mon, Oct 24 20224:42 PM EDT

John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 21, 2022.

Nicholas Kamm | AFP | Getty Images

The U.S. slammed Russian claims that Ukraine plans to use a "dirty bomb," adding that there is "absolutely nothing to the Russian allegation."

The U.S. is concerned about the allegations, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on a conference call.

"They [the Russians] are the ones that made a public issue of this and obviously, we know that they're false and that there is no plan by the Ukrainians to do this," Kirby said.

"We're obviously taking the issue seriously," he added.

Russian Defense MinisterSergei Shoigu said earlier on Monday that the Kremlin was concerned "about possible provocations by Ukraine with the use of a 'dirty bomb,'" according to Russia's defense ministry.

Amanda Macias

Mon, Oct 24 20224:12 PM EDT

Ships, including those carrying grain from Ukraine and awaiting inspections are seen anchored off the Istanbul coastline on October 14, 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Chris Mcgrath | Getty Images

The organization overseeing grain exports from Ukraine said it is working to address the backlog of 113 vessels awaiting inspection.

The Joint Coordination Center, or JCC, said in a statement that it "is concerned that the delays may cause disruption in the supply chain and port operations."

"The JCC is discussing ways to address the backlog noting that the next harvest is approaching and silos in the Ukrainian ports covered under the Initiative will be soon full again," the group wrote.

The JCC has enabled the movement of over 8.5 million metric tons of food products under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a deal announced in July among Ukraine, Russia, the United Nations and Turkey.

Read more about theBlack Sea Grain Initiative here.

Amanda Macias

Mon, Oct 24 20223:30 PM EDT

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gestures during a news conference with Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto and Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde, after Finland and Sweden signed their countries' accession protocols at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium July 5, 2022.

Yves Herman | Reuters

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned Russia's "false claim" that Ukraine was planning to use a "dirty bomb" within its own territories.

"NATO Allies reject this allegation," he wrote in a tweet. "Russia must not use it as a pretext for escalation."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pushed back against the Russian allegations, arguing that this claim only indicates that Russia itself is likely preparing to use the "dirty bomb." The United States, United Kingdom and France have also spoken out against Russia's allegations.

NATO allies have provided extensive support to Ukraine, implementing enhanced measures in 2014 after Russia's annexation of Crimea. Following the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid, member countries agreed to enhance the existing Comprehensive Assistance Package to Ukraine due to the Russian invasion.

This led to more support in several security areas, including communications, cyber defenses, medical supplies, body armor, safety equipment and anti-drone systems.

Rocio Fabbro

Mon, Oct 24 20223:03 PM EDT

US' Women's National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball player Brittney Griner, who was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and later charged with illegal possession of cannabis, waits for the verdict inside a defendants' cage before a court hearing in Khimki outside Moscow, on August 4, 2022.

Evgenia Novozhenina | AFP | Getty Images

WNBA star Brittney Griner's appeal hearing before a Russian court is set for Tuesday.

Earlier this month a Russian judge decided to hear Griner's appeal after she was convicted on drug charges and sentenced to nine years in prison. Griner has been held in a Russian detention center for more than eight months since her arrest earlier this year.

Griner will appear via video conference at the hearing, which is expected to last about an hour. The judge's verdict is expected later on Tuesday.

Amanda Macias

Mon, Oct 24 20222:40 PM EDT

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley participates in a news briefing at the Pentagon May 23, 2022 in Arlington, Virginia.

Alex Wong | Getty Images

U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley spoke with Chief of Russian General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov by phone.

"The military leaders discussed several security-related issues of concern and agreed to keep the lines of communication open. In accordance with past practice, the specific details of their conversation will be kept private," wrote Joint Staff spokesperson Col. Dave Butler in a readout of the call.

Milley's call comes as U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held two calls with his Russian counterpart in the past week.

Amanda Macias

Mon, Oct 24 20222:25 PM EDT

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a joint news conference of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Moscow, Russia February 18, 2022.

Sergey Guneev| Sputnik | Reuters

Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov contended the threat of a "dirty bomb" is real, even though the United States, Great Britain and France denied the possibility.

"Their distrust of the information provided by the Russian side does not mean that the threat of using such a 'dirty bomb' ceases to exist. The threat is obvious," Peskov said in a press briefing.

Peskov's statements followed claims by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu that Ukraine was planning provocations using a "dirty bomb," which contaminates surrounding areas with radioactivity without the use of a nuclear explosion. The U.K., U.S. and France all denounced the allegations as "transparently false."

Peskov also said there are currently no planned calls for Russian President Vladimir Putin, after a slew of international calls made by Shoigu over the last few days, including with the U.S. and other Western allies.

Rocio Fabbro

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Live updates: Latest news on Russia and the war in Ukraine