Ukraine war latest: Ukraine 'clarifying information' after Russian admiral it 'killed' seems to appear in video

The White House has reportedly sent a letter outlining reform requirements for Ukraine to qualify for additional financial aid from the US, EU, G7, and international organisations. 

Mike Pyle, Deputy White House National Security Adviser for International Economics, delivered the letter to Ukraine's Presidential Office, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, and the Donor Coordination Platform overseeing international aid, the publication Ukrainska Pravda reports.

The reforms target government efficiency and cover various sectors, including anti-corruption bodies, the judiciary, defence, and law enforcement.

Reforms are categorised into 0 to three months, three to six months, one year, and 18 months. 

In the initial three months, changes include strengthening the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, increasing National Anti-Corruption Bureau investigators to 300 with wiretapping authority, completing the High Council of Justice restart, ensuring National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption head's independent selection, and reinstating mandatory asset declarations for civil servants and judges with simplifications.

Russia's need to redeploy troops along the overstretched frontline with Ukraine means a fresh offensive from Moscow's forces is unlikely, the UK's Ministry of Defence has claimed

It cites the creation and deployment of Russia's 25th Combined Arms Army (25 CAA), which was reportedly seen in Ukraine for the first time in August. 

However, instead of being deployed en masse to one area of the frontline from where it could launch a concerted offensive, units from the army have been deployed to reinforce under-defended areas. 

"[The] 67th Motor Rifle Division and 164th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade are reported to be fighting on the front in a sector west of Severodonetsk and Kreminna, along the border between Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts," the MoD said. 

Given that units are being sent to defend weaker parts of the line, the 25 CAA is not likely to start a fresh offensive in the short term, the MoD suggests. 

"With 25 CAA apparently being deployed piecemeal to reinforce the over-stretched line, a concerted new Russian offensive is less likely over the coming weeks."

 Russia's ministry of defence is recruiting former Wagner Group members for its own affiliated private military companies (PMCs), according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). 

It cites a Russian military blogger, who claimed former Wagner personnel that left the organisation with founding member Andrey Troshev after Yevgeny Prigozhin's ill-fated rebellion have now joined the MoD-affiliated "Redut" and "Volunteer Corps" PMCs.

The blogger also claimed that those former Wagner troops have begun to redeploy with their new units to the Bakhmut area of Ukraine - the site of their former organisation's most famous victory.

"The milblogger claimed that Troshev is trying to recruit Wagner personnel who are currently operating in Belarus, Africa, and the Middle East for Russian MoD-affiliated PMCs," the ISW added. 

Regarding the Wagner troops still affiliated with the organisation, the blogger indicated that the new head of mercenary group was Anton Yelizarov - and that he was negotiating with the Russian national guard (the Rosgvardia) about the inclusion of Wagner units within its ranks. 

The negotiations have reached a sticking point over contracts, according to the blogger cited by the ISW. 

Traffic on the Crimean bridge was briefly suspended overnight, according to the bridge authority. 

There have numerous occasions when traffic has been halted due to Ukrainian drone or missile attacks; however, it is not clear whether that is the case this time. 

Around 6.43am local time (4.43am UK time), traffic was halted and people were asked to "remain calm and follow the instructions of transport security officers". 

At 7.11am (5.11am UK time) traffic resumed, and at 8am (6am UK time) the operator reported that traffic was flowing as normal on the bridge. 

The Russian-installed governor of Crimea, who often reports any attacks in or over the region, has not commented. 

Welcome back to our coverage of the war in Ukraine.

Over the last 24 hours we have been reporting on footage released by Russia's defence ministry which appears to show Admiral Viktor Sokolov - the head of Russia's Black Sea fleet - alive.

This came after Ukraine claimed he was killed in an attack on the fleet's HQ in Crimea on Friday.

Here's the latest from the conflict:

• A Russian court rejected Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's appeal against his 19-year jail sentence;
• Russia's former president Dmitry Medvedev visited troops in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, according to reports;
• Five suspected spies for Russia appeared in a UK court accused of plotting to gather information that would be useful to an enemy;
• The Speaker of Canada's House of Commons said he was resigning, less than a week after he prompted outrage by publicly praising a former Nazi soldier in parliament;
• A two-hour drone offensive injured two people and damaged port infrastructure in Izmail, Odesa, according to the region's governor.

The map below shows the latest territorial picture in the country...

The level of aid for Ukraine has been one point of contention as a dispute between hardline Republicans and other members of the US congress threatens to shut down the government.

Congress must allocate funding to hundreds of agencies each fiscal year, which ends on 30 September, but some Republicans are demanding deep spending cuts before passing any bill.

The US Senate today tried to move forward with a bipartisan proposal to stop the shut down which included a measure to provide $6bn in new aid to Ukraine.

The draft measure would fund the US government through until 17 November.

The Senate was set to vote on whether to debate the bill, with at least 60 of the chamber's 100 votes needed to clear the hurdle.

But the lower chamber, the House, sought to push forward a funding bill that includes measures backed only by Republicans - tough border and immigration restrictions - increasing the likelihood of a shutdown.

Republicans control the House by a narrow majority, while Democrats are in a similar position in the Senate. Both chambers must pass any funding bill.

US supplies of long-range ATACMS missiles and Abrams tanks to Ukraine will not change the situation on the battlefield, the Kremlin has said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said Russia's military was constantly learning to adapt to new types of weapons.

This week, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the first American-made Abrams tanks had been delivered to Ukraine.

The tanks will be added to Ukraine's arsenal as the country attempts to reclaim Russian-held territory in the east.

If the head of Russia's Black Sea fleet is dead "it's good news", Ukraine's defence minister Rustem Umerov has told CNN.

We have been reporting today on Ukrainian claims that they killed Admiral Viktor Sokolov in an attack on the fleet's HQ in Crimea on Friday.

The Russian defence ministry didn't immediately respond to the reports yesterday - but today released a clip with a man who appeared to be Sokolov joining a meeting by video link.

And in an interview with CNN, Mr Umerov has now said: "He is in our temporary occupied territories … he should not be there at all.

"So, if he's dead, it's good news for everybody that we are continuing to de-occupy our territory."

By Rob Harris, sport correspondent

England will oppose playing matches against Russian football teams after UEFA suddenly lifted its blanket ban on the country competing in its competitions to allow under-17s fixtures.

European football's governing body took the decision at a meeting of its executive committee 18 months after banning all Russian teams from its competitions following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

UEFA said: "Children should not be punished for actions whose responsibility lies exclusively with adults and is firmly convinced that football should never give up sending messages of peace and hope.

"It is particularly aggrieving that, due to the enduring conflict, a generation of minors is deprived of its right to compete in international football."

Russian U17 teams will be allowed to play in Europe again but without their national flag, anthem or national kit. Games can't be played in Russia.

But Sky News understands the Football Association does not support readmitting Russia to UEFA youth competitions and its position remains that England teams won't play against Russia.

The ban prevented Russia playing at the Women's European Championship in England in 2022 and from qualifying for the men's and women's World Cup.

UEFA insists senior teams will all remain banned at club and national team levels from its competitions.

Aleksander Ceferin, its president, said: "UEFA's continuing suspension against Russian adult teams reflects its commitment to take a stand against violence and aggression. 

"UEFA is determined that this position will continue until the war is over and peace restored. 

"But by banning children from our competitions, we not only fail to recognise and uphold a fundamental right for their holistic development but we directly discriminate against them. 

"By providing opportunities to play and compete with their peers from all over Europe, we are investing in what we hope will be a brighter and more capable future generation and a better tomorrow."

World governing body FIFA did not reply to a request for comment.

Ukrainian troops have been firing at Russian troops in the eastern Donetsk region.

The Donetsk area is part of the wider Donbas region along with Luhansk.

Russian forces have stepped up their efforts to seize a number of cities in the eastern region that are not under their control but they are facing fierce opposition.