Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

Russia and Ukraine will sign a deal on Friday to reopen Ukraine's Black Sea ports for grain exports, Turkey said, raising hopes that an international food crisis aggravated by Russia's invasion can be eased. ECONOMY * Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will sign a deal on Friday to resume Ukraine's Black Sea grain exports, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's office said.

Russia and Ukraine will sign a deal on Friday to reopen Ukraine's Black Sea ports for grain exports, Turkey said, raising hopes that an international food crisis aggravated by Russia's invasion can be eased. ECONOMY

* Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will sign a deal on Friday to resume Ukraine's Black Sea grain exports, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's office said. * Gas flows from Russia to Germany via the pipeline resumed at around 40% capacity, the German regulator said, affecting Germany's targets for replenishing its gas storage and the transfer of gas to countries including France, Austria and the Czech Republic.

* A European Union proposal that member countries cut gas use by 15% to prepare for possible supply cuts from Russia is facing resistance from governments, throwing into doubt whether they will approve the emergency plan. * Europe's thirst for oil and gas to replace sanctioned Russian supply is reviving interest in African energy projects that were shunned due to costs and climate change concerns, industry executives and African officials said.

* Japan warned on Friday of escalating national security threats, including repercussions from Russia's war with Ukraine, Chinese intimidation of Taiwan, and vulnerable technology supply chains, in its annual defense white paper. * A tanker carrying a liquid fertilizer product from Russia is about to arrive in the United States, sources and vessel tracking data showed in recent days. The U.S. has not blacklisted Russian agricultural commodities, including fertilizers, in the aftermath of the Ukraine invasion. Still, many Western banks and traders have steered clear of Russian supplies for fear of running afoul of rapidly changing rules.

FIGHTING * Russia has increased its use of air defense missiles in a secondary ground attack mode because of critical shortages of dedicated ground-attack missiles, British military intelligence said on Friday.

* Russian forces appear to be closing in on Ukraine's second biggest power plant at Vuhlehirska, 50 km (31 miles) northeast of Donetsk, aiming to seize critical infrastructure and the cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, Britain said. It was not immediately possible to verify the battlefield reports.