Ukraine war: First grain ship leaves and the thoughts of rural Russians

There was cautious optimism on Monday as a ship carrying grain sailed out of Ukraine's port of Odesa - the first to do so in months.

It was part of an agreement signed by Ukraine and Russia to allow the safe export of the 20-million tonnes of grain that has been trapped in Ukraine's ports since Russia invaded in February.

Early on Monday morning, the Razoni, carrying 26,000 tonnes of corn, became the first to set sail - and another 17 are ready to follow.

It was a long awaited sight, but met with trepidation. Ukraine has mined the Black Sea, presenting a serious danger - so the Razoni was guided through the waters by Ukrainian pilot vessels.

And there are concerns that Russia will fail to honour its end of the deal, after it bombed Odesa port less than 24 hours after the agreement was signed.

• You can read more about the Razoni's voyage here.

Reality of war hidden from Russians

People in Pskov, nine hours from Moscow, said they support the Russian army.

It's not uncommon to hear people in Moscow or St Petersburg criticise Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

But further away from these major cities, Russians mainly get their view of the world from television which is controlled by the Kremlin.

In the far-western city of Pskov, a nine-hour drive from Moscow, many people believe Russia is the hero of the war, fighting Nazis and fascists.

Echoing arguments made on Russian TV, locals here say the US and the West want to humiliate Russia and break up the country, says our Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg.

He visited Pskov and spoke to locals about how they feel Putin's "special operation" is going.

• Read Steve Rosenberg's story here.

Britons held by pro-Russia rebels to stand trial

John Harding, who is in his fifties and originally from Sunderland, moved to Ukraine in 2018

Three British men accused of being mercenaries for Ukraine will stand trial in a Russian proxy court.

The court, which is not internationally recognised, is in the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, a breakaway region of Ukraine.

Ex-serviceman John Harding has been fighting with Ukrainian forces since moving to the country in 2018. Andrew Hill has been fighting with Ukraine's International Legion.

Meanwhile, Dylan Healy was volunteering as an aid worker when he was captured at a checkpoint in April.

• Read more here.

Remaining families in Donetsk told to leave

Can you imagine having to turn up the volume on your television to hide the sound of shelling from your child?

That's what Olena, who lives in the eastern city of Bakhmut, is doing to try and shield her four-year-old daughter from the traumatic noises outside.

Families still living in the Ukrainian-controlled areas of the Donetsk region, where Bakhmut lies, have been told to leave as Russia advances.

In a late-night address on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said fighting there was intense.

Ukrainian authorities estimate between 200,000 and 220,000 people are still in the area, despite already being told to leave.

Treatment of Ukrainian refugees to Afghans

Claire Garrett said: "Everybody's story is very unique" and there is no "average asylum seeker"

Ukrainian refugees are often treated differently in the UK to those from Afghanistan, a charity has said.

The Harbour Project told the BBC many Ukrainians were given immediate refugee status and lived in people's homes, while Afghans were left in hotels for months.

Differences in refugees' integration into society had "come into stark focus in the last couple of months", CEO Claire Garrett explained.

The Home Office said it was helping both and it was "wrong to set these vulnerable groups against each other".

Read more about the differences in refugees' integration into Britain here.

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