The Italian government has said Russian mercenary group Wagner is behind a surge in migrant boats trying to cross the central Mediterranean, as part of Moscow’s strategy to retaliate against countries supporting Ukraine, Reuters reported. Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin responded to the claims, saying, “We have no idea what’s happening with the migrant crisis”.

The International Criminal Court intends to open 2 war crimes cases tied to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and will seek arrest warrants for several people. The cases are the first international charges to be brought forward since the start of the conflict, the newspaper reports.

Moscow has agreed to renew a deal allowing the safe export of grain from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports but only for a period of 60 days, half the term of the previous renewal, Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Vershinin has said.

Partisan group Atesh claims to have killed the deputy head of the military administration of Nova Kakhovka just after midnight on Monday for collaborating with the Russian occupation. The group claims to have detonated a bomb as he approached his car outside a cafe on Pobedy Avenue and that no civilians were injured. The claims have not been verified.

President Zelensky said his government will spend USDE 13.5bn on defence, including military salaries and drones this year.

Russia’s state-owned TASS news agency is reporting that the Russia-installed authorities in occupied regions of Donetsk are claiming that almost 4,500 people have died as a result of shelling by Ukrainian armed forces since 17 February 2022.