Russian forces are undertaking a “massive redeployment” of troops to 3 southern regions of Ukraine in what appears to be a change of tactics by Moscow, a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Oleksiy Arestovych said Russia was sending troops to the Melitopol and Zaporizhzhia regions and Kherson, signalling a change in tactics to strategic defence from offence.

Russian forces have reportedly taken over Ukraine’s second biggest power plant in eastern Ukraine, an adviser to President Zelenskiy said, after an earlier claim by Russian-backed forces to have captured it intact. “Unverified footage posted on social media appeared to show fighters from Russia’s Wagner private military company posing in front of the plant.

Ukraine confirms its strategy to isolate Russian forces after a strike on the key Russian-held Antonivskyi Bridge into the occupied Kherson and said the operation to liberate Kherson “has already begun”.

Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine would rebuild the Antonivskyi Bridge and other crossings in the region after Ukrainian forces struck the strategic Russian supply route in southern Ukraine’s Kherson region: “We are doing everything to ensure that the occupying forces do not have any logistical opportunities in our country”.

Preparations are continuing for the first ships to leave Ukrainian ports as Turkey unveiled a centre in Istanbul to oversee the process. Ukraine’s navy also confirmed that work has started at three Ukrainian Black Sea ports to prepare for renewed grain exports. The first shipment is expected to depart within days, Turkish defence minister, Hulusi Akar, said.