Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now

* "A first success is the grain deal, perhaps that can be slowly expanded to a ceasefire," Schroeder said. * Russia said the United States was directly involved in the conflict because U.S. spies were approving and coordinating Ukrainian missile strikes on Russian forces.

A deal between Russia and Ukraine to unblock Ukrainian grain exports may offer a way forward to a ceasefire in the five-month conflict, said former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, a friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. GRAIN/ECONOMY/DIPLOMACY

The first grain-carrying ship to leave Ukrainian ports in wartime anchored off Turkey's coast on Tuesday, while a senior official said Ankara expected roughly one grain ship to leave Ukraine daily as long as the export deal holds.

"A first success is the grain deal, perhaps that can be slowly expanded to a ceasefire," Schroeder said.

Russia said the United States was directly involved in the conflict because U.S. spies were approving and coordinating Ukrainian missile strikes on Russian forces.

The United States imposed sanctions on Alina Kabaeva, a former Olympic gymnast the Treasury Department described as having a close relationship with Putin.

The G7 is looking at blocking the transportation of Russian oil among other options to deprive Moscow of bumper revenues. FIGHTING

Ukraine's military reported heavy Russian shelling of Kharkiv and other towns and villages in its vicinity, as well as air and missile strikes on civilian installations. Russia denies targeting civilians.

Ukraine's president said that despite arms supplies from the West, his country's forces could not yet overcome Russian advantages in heavy guns and manpower.

The rail link connecting Russian-occupied Kherson in southern Ukraine with Crimea is highly unlikely to be operational due to a Ukrainian strike against a Russian ammunition train, Britain said.

Russia's top court designated Ukraine's Azov Regiment as a terrorist group, a Reuters correspondent in the courtroom said, paving the way for captured soldiers to be tried under stringent anti-terror laws and be jailed for up to 20 years.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said Russian forces had destroyed six U.S.-made HIMARS missile systems since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, Interfax reported.

The Pentagon denied that. Russia regularly says it has hit HIMARS but has not shown proof.

Reuters was not able to immediately verify battlefield reports.