Russia-Ukraine war live: three dead in Odesa missile strike; UN nuclear chief to visit Zaporizhzhia plant | Ukraine #RussiaUkraine #war #live #dead #Odesa #missile #strike #nuclear #chief #visit #Zaporizhzhia #plant #Ukraine

Three people have been killed and at least 13 injured in a Russian missile attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa on Tuesday morning, Ukrainian forces have said.

Air defences downed two Kalibr missiles but authorities say the attack targeted civilian infrastructure including a business centre, an educational institution, a residential complex, restaurants and shops.

A warehouse of a retail chain was also hit in the attack, causing a fire to break out.

Work is underway to clear the debris and a search for people trapped under the rubble remains ongoing.

Hello and welcome back to our live coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine – this is Royce Kurmelovs bringing you the latest developments.

Three people have been killed and at least 13 injured during a missile attack on the city of Odesa, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday. Authorities say the attack struck civilian infrastructure in the southern port city and work is underway to pick through the rubble in the search for survivors.

The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, has met President Volodomyr Zelenskiy to discuss risks to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant ahead of a planned visit to the facility. Grossi told journalists following the meeting that he planned to travel to the plant on Wednesday so he can “make [his] own assessment” as to “what kind of danger we have”.

Zelenskiy himself has praised the courage of Ukrainian troops during the early stages of his countries counter offensive and singled out units operating near the besieged city of Bakhmut saying “there is forward movement in various areas”. Zelenskiy also praised several other units thanking them “for your strength”.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed Ukrainian losses during the conflict are near “catastrophic” and that the counterattack had not been successful in any area. The Russian president made the claim during televised meetings with war correspondents and military bloggers. “This is a massive counteroffensive, using strategic reserves that were prepared for this task,” Putin said. “They lost over 160, we lost 54 tanks, and some of them are subject to restoration and repair.”

In other news:

• Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said his country won’t hesitate to use Russian nuclear weapons in the event his country is threatened with repression.

• The US House of Representatives has voted unanimously on a resolution calling for Russia to immediately release imprisoned US journalist Evan Gershkovich.

• Moscow has also flagged it may withdraw from the Black Sea grain deal, after Putin says he has been cheated by the west who have failed to deliver on a promise to help bring Russian agricultural goods to world markets.

• A Russian missile strike on an apartment in Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine has killed 11 and injured more than 30 people, according to an updated casualty list provided by Volodymr Zelenskiy on Tuesday.

• US President Joe Biden has met with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg ahead of a major meeting of the alliance next month in Lithuania where questions about Ukraine’s membership are expected to be addressed

• The US government has announced a new military aid package for Ukraine worth $325m which includes artillery rounds, anti-aircraft systems and 15 new Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles. The UK Ministry of Defence has announced a $115m air defence package for Ukraine. Latvia has allocated another $460,000 in aid to Ukraine following the Kakhova Dam disaster.

• Ukrainian forces have been confirmed to have liberated the village of Neskuchne on Tuesday after Reuters journalists were able to reach the area. Russia has not yet acknowledge any gains.