Multiple reports of air defences engaging drones in Moscow and Moscow region. Officials say at least 9 intercepted (they only report successful downings). Blasts heard even in central districts of Russian capital. No reports atow of major damage or casualties.

In more bizarre #Intervision developments, Russia’s entry Shaman addresses the audience after his act and says he asks the jury to disregard his performance and not assign him a score - the “rules of hospitality” dictate “I have no right to lay claim to victory”, he says.

No politics in #Intervision! First a lengthy video message from President Vladimir Putin and then an interview with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the *first* act!

#Intervision says the US entry, Australian-Greek singer Vassy, withdrew “for reasons beyond the control of the organizers and the US delegation, caused by unprecedented political pressure from the Government of Australia”.

Born behind the Iron Curtain, it's back. The Intervision Song Contest has been brought back to life by the Kremlin. My piece for BBC News about politics and pop. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

BREAKING: The replacement US entry for #Intervision, Australian-Greek singer Vassy, tells the BBC she has also withdrawn from the revived Soviet-era song contest last minute “due to an unforeseen emergency” and won’t be performing.

“Here we go” with what exactly? Phase 2 (1?) of sanctions against Russia? Another deadline? Another taco?

BREAKING: Russian defence ministry says “no targets on Polish territory were planned”, that drones used only have max range of 700km and that it’s “prepared to discuss topic with Polish defence ministry”. Not exactly a full-throated denial.

Our recent BBC News piece from Vladivostok on how Russia’s war on Ukraine affects people across the country, even here – 7,000km from the front line. youtu.be/48ai8F70R94

BREAKING: Kremlin refuses to be drawn on situation with drones in Poland - which Ukraine/EU/Nato say were Russian - saying it’s up to Russian Defence Ministry to comment. But adds that “the EU/Nato leaderships accuse Russia of provocations every day, usually without any argument”.

Russia’s ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, is to be summoned by the Foreign Office after major strikes on Kyiv overnight which killed at least 15 people. Meanwhile, the Kremlin says it only strikes military and military-related targets and is still interested in peace talks...

Russia’s economy expected to grow by at least 1.5% this year, according to Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov.

WOAH. Sergei Markov – a high-profile pro-Kremlin political commentator, former advisor to and vocal supporter of President Putin and his “special military operation” in Ukraine – has been designated a “foreign agent”. Markov says he thinks it’s a mistake...

Russia says its online public services platform #Gosuslugi has been coming under DDoS attack from abroad for the last few hours. Officially “all attacks are being successfully repelled” but Downdetector reporting a lot of complaints from people who can’t access the service.

“Putin is ready to meet Zelensky when the agenda [is] ready for a summit. And this agenda is not ready at all,” says Russian FM Sergei Lavrov. “President Trump suggested, after Anchorage, several points which we share and on some of them, we agreed... to show some flexibility.”

Russia is reviving a Soviet-era Eastern Bloc answer to #Eurovision. In September, entries from some 20 countries - from China to Colombia - will take part in #Intervision (Интервидение). Earlier this year the US said it’d join in, as Trump wooed Putin (& vice versa), and now we know who…

BREAKING: Trump-Putin meeting agreed to take place “in the next few days”, working timeframe next week, preparations begin, location to be announced “a little later” – Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov quoted by Russian state media

BREAKING: Putin-Witkoff talks conclude after approx 3 hours – Russian media citing Kremlin

BREAKING: US envoy Steve Witkoff meeting Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin

BREAKING: Vladimir Putin meets US envoy Steve Witkoff in the Kremlin

Russian media showing Steve Witkoff’s motorcade going into the Kremlin:

Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s special envoy, is in Moscow – seen here strolling in Zaryadye Park next to the Kremlin alongside Kirill Dmitriev, Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy.

“[Putin] does not want to anger Trump, and he realises that he may be spurning a chance to improve relations with Washington and the West, but his war goals take precedence...” www.reuters.com/world/europe...

Kremlin “does not rule out” a meeting between US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Putin this week – after Donald Trump said they could hold talks on Wednesday or Thursday.

MORE: Donald Trump says he is setting Vladimir Putin a new deadline of “10 to 12 days” from today to end the Ukraine war.

BREAKING: Donald Trump says he is “very disappointed” in President Putin and that he will “reduce the 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number” on his recent ultimatum over a Ukraine peace deal.

Aeroflot attack // Hacking groups Silent Crow and Belarusian Cyber Partisans are claiming to be behind an attack on Aeroflot’s computer systems that has led to nearly 50 flights being cancelled to/from Moscow. Aeroflot shares are currently down 3%.

An AN-24 Angara Airlines passenger plane with 49 people on board, including 6 crew members and 5 children, has crashed in Russia’s far-eastern Amur region. The wreckage was located around 15km from Tynda airport. There appear to be no survivors. LATEST: www.bbc.com/news/article...

Kremlin says it’s “hard to see” how a Putin-Zelensky meeting could take place before the end of August, within Donald Trump’s 50-day deadline for peace deal, as Ukraine proposed at yesterday’s brief talks in Istanbul – RIA

On last night’s brief Russia-Ukraine talks... Russia, Ukraine discuss more POW swaps; no deal on ceasefire or leaders' meeting. www.reuters.com/world/europe...

Russian delegation arrives in Istanbul ahead of third round of direct talks with Ukraine — Flightradar24 data, Russian news agencies

BREAKING: Kremlin confirms a Russian delegation has left for Istanbul ahead of a third round of direct Russia-Ukraine talks scheduled for Wednesday evening.

BREAKING: Russian delegation heading to Istanbul for Ukraine talks – TASS and Interfax

Still no Kremlin confirmation on dates for 3rd round of Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul. Reports suggested they would happen this week. Dmitry Peskov also cautioned against expecting “miraculous breakthroughs”, and made clear a Putin-Zelensky meeting was not on the cards yet.

Kremlin says Russia is in favour of a third round of direct talks with Ukraine taking place – as reports swirl they could happen this week – but says Moscow and Kyiv’s positions are currently “diametrically opposed” and that there’s “much work” to be done.

BREAKING: Next round of Russia-Ukraine talks expected to take place at end of this week, source tells Russia’s state-owned TASS news agency. Independent Türkçe - also citing sources - reports talks could happen Weds/Thurs this week.

Kremlin says it agrees with President Zelensky that talks between Moscow and Kyiv should be stepped up. Sees his comments as a positive sign.

Flash floods, geo-political storm clouds and continuing war. Our latest report from Moscow for BBC News. Producer @bbcbentavener.bsky.social

Russia and Ukraine exchange more war dead. Russia handed Ukraine bodies of 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers, Ukraine hands Russia bodies of 19 Russian troops, says Russia delegation lead at Istanbul talks, Vladimir Medinsky. Sides continuing to fulfil agreements made at those talks.

A former Russian president gives his assessment of Trump’s 50-day ultimatum to the current one:

The Kremlin says Roman Starovoit’s death, the same day he was sacked by President Putin as Russia’s transport minister, was “shocking”, “tragic and sad”, but said it was up to investigators to provide answers to all the question swirling around his apparent suicide.

BREAKING: Russia’s former transport minister, Roman Starovoit, has killed himself, Russian media outlets close to security services and state-run RIA Novosti are reporting. He was officially dismissed from the position by President Putin just this morning.

Kremlin asked about Donald Trump’s “disappointment” over yesterday’s call with President Putin: “Of course, we follow all statements made by President Trump very carefully,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told BBC’s Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg on a reporters’ conference call.

Russia’s defence ministry confirms reports that Major General Mikhail Gudkov, deputy head of the Russian Navy, was killed yesterday in the border area of Kursk region “during combat operations”. He had previously led a brigade fighting Ukrainian troops in Kursk.

Russian media reporting at least 3 people killed and around 20 injured, some of them seriously, in a drone attack on an industrial facility in Izhevsk, 1,200km from the Russia-Ukraine border.

Vladimir Putin won’t be heading to Brazil for next week’s BRICS summit due to an outstanding ICC arrest warrant issued against him and the lack of a “clear position” from Brazil on the matter, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. Sergei Lavrov will head Russia’s delegation.

Putin meeting Iran FM Araghchi in Kremlin. In opening statements, Putin said United States’ “unprovoked aggression” on Iran had no justification. He says Russia tries to help Iranian people and hopes today’s meeting will help find way out of current situation.

Kremlin says it “deeply regrets and condemns” US strikes in Iran, and confirms President Putin will meet Iran FM Araghchi shortly where he will share Tehran’s proposals and any requests for help from Moscow.

Russia and Ukraine will begin handing over severely injured POWs on Thursday, according to Kremlin negotiator Vladimir Medinsky. It’s still not clear how many people were swapped in the first two stages of this exchange.