TOP HEADLINES

• Moscow said it had destroyed a Ukrainian military "reconnaissance boat" near Russian gas infrastructure in the Black Sea, in the latest clash in the waterway since Moscow's withdrawal from a major grain export deal.

• Russian air defenses downed two "attack drones" over the Moscow region, the city's mayor said. "Air defense shot down two attack drones. One in the Krasnogorsk area, the other in the Chastsy area," said Sergey Sobyanin on Telegram, adding that emergency services were responding. He did not give details on damage or casualties. Russia also brought down a further two drones over the Bryansk region that borders Ukraine. READ MORE BELOW

• Ukraine said its troops had entered the strategic southeastern village of Robotyne, a potentially significant advance in its counteroffensive against Russian forces. Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on the Telegram messaging app that Ukrainian soldiers were organizing the evacuation of civilians after entering Robotyne but were still coming under fire from Russian forces. 

• Greece will help train Ukrainian F-16 warplane pilots and assist the reconstruction of Odesa, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said. 

• Russian teenagers will learn how to operate and counter military drones in the upcoming school year, according to a curriculum published by the education ministry. Moscow announced last November it was re-introducing Soviet-style military training for children from 2023.

• Zelenskyy said he was "confident" Russia would lose the war in Ukraine. "Today we are confident that Russia will lose this war... I'm sure that we will win because the truth is on our side," Zelenskyy said in a speech outside the Danish parliament.

• Russian-installed courts in Ukraine's eastern regions sentenced five Ukrainian soldiers to lengthy prison terms, Russia's Investigative Committee said. 

• Denmark's decision to supply Ukraine with American F-16 fighter jets to fend off Russia's offensive represents an "escalation" of the conflict, Russia's ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin warned in a statement.

• Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin posted his first video address since leading a short-lived mutiny in late June, appearing in a clip - possibly shot in Africa - on Telegram channels affiliated with the Wagner group. Prigozhin is seen standing in a desert area in camouflage and with a rifle in his hands. In the distance, there are more armed men and a pickup truck.

IN DETAIL

Russia destroys U.S.-made vessel in Black Sea carrying Ukraine troops

Russia's defense ministry said on Tuesday its forces had destroyed a U.S.-made military speedboat carrying Ukrainian military personnel east of Snake Island in the Black Sea. The ministry said a Russian warplane had taken out the vessel, which it said was carrying a "Ukrainian landing group."

Snake Island is a small Ukrainian outpost in the northwest part of the Black Sea, where tensions have escalated since Russia last month pulled out of a deal that had enabled Ukraine to ship grain from its southern ports despite the war.

Since Moscow quit the agreement, Russian drones and missiles have repeatedly struck Ukrainian port facilities and grain silos, while Ukrainian sea drones have damaged a Russian warship and struck a Russian tanker.

Russia took the island but abandoned it on June 30 last year after taking heavy losses trying to defend it, according to Ukraine.

Russia shoots down two drones over Moscow region

Russia shot down two Ukrainian drones over the Moscow region with no casualties and brought down a further two drones over the Bryansk region that borders Ukraine, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.

A reporter in the town of Krasnogorsk in the Moscow region, seat of the Moscow regional government, saw minor damage to tiling on a high-rise residential building and shattered glass exterior window panes in a few of its apartments.

Falling debris had also caused minor damage such as smashed windscreens to cars parked below. Police had sealed off the scene and investigators from Russia's FSB security service collected what looked like drone fragments. 

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine, which rarely takes direct responsibility for drone strikes on Russian territory or on areas controlled by Russia, but which appears to have stepped up such attacks since two drones were destroyed over the Kremlin in early May.

Such attacks have sometimes briefly disrupted flights across Russia and caused mostly minor damage to buildings. 

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