Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

* Vitaly Kim, governor of the southern Mykolaiv region said it had been targeted with seven S300 missiles, with one person wounded and impacts on infrastructure, energy facilities and storage areas. * The United States estimates around 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed and perhaps 45,000 wounded, CIA Director William Burns said on Wednesday, adding that Ukraine has also endured significant casualties.

Russian gas began flowing via the country's biggest pipeline to Europe after a 10-day pause but fears of energy shortages on the continent remained and Russian forces were seen eyeing the capture of Ukraine's second biggest power plant.

ECONOMY * Gas flows from Russia to Germany via the pipeline resumed at around 40% capacity, the German regulator said. This is not enough for Germany to reach its 90% gas storage target by November and affects the transfer of gas to countries including France, Austria, and the Czech Republic, it added.

* The Kremlin said all difficulties with the supply of Russian natural gas to Europe were caused by Western restrictions. * Greece joined Spain in opposing a European Union plan for countries to cut their gas use by 15% by March.

* Ukraine's central bank devalued the hryvnia currency by 25% against the U.S. dollar and has asked its creditors for a two-year pay freeze on its international bonds to focus its dwindling financial resources on repelling Russia. FIGHTING

* Russian forces are likely closing in on Ukraine's second biggest power plant at Vuhlehirska, 50 km (31 miles) north-east of Donetsk, as part of a plan to seize critical infrastructure and the key cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, British military intelligence said. * One of the most densely populated areas of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second biggest city, is being shelled, mayor Igor Terekhov said on Telegram, asking people not to leave shelters. The regional governor said two people had been killed and 19 wounded. Russia denies targeting civilians.

* Serhiy Gaidai, governor of the eastern Luhansk region, which Russian forces fully captured earlier this month, said: "there is probably not a single square meter of land left untouched by Russian artillery". * The governor of the neighboring Donetsk region, Pavlo Kyrylenko, urged people to evacuate, saying Russian forces had destroyed schools in Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka and shelled the industrial part of Kramatorsk and central Bakhmut.

* Russia said it had shot down a Ukrainian SU-25 military plane near Kramatorsk. * Vitaly Kim, governor of the southern Mykolaiv region said it had been targeted with seven S300 missiles, with one person wounded and impacts on infrastructure, energy facilities, and storage areas.

* The United States estimates around 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed and perhaps 45,000 wounded, CIA Director William Burns said on Wednesday, adding that Ukraine has also endured significant casualties. It was not immediately possible to verify the battlefield reports.

DIPLOMACY * European Union diplomats agreed on a ban on importing Russian gold and a freeze on the assets of the country's top lender Sberbank on Wednesday in the seventh round of sanctions dismissed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as inadequate.

* The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin was in good health, dismissing what it called false reports he was unwell. CIA Director William Burns, asked about the issue during a security forum in the United States on Wednesday, said that Putin was "entirely too healthy".