Russia and Ukraine accused each other of shelling Europe's biggest nuclear power plant as fighting raged again in the crucial border region of the Donbas and three more ships left ports carrying previously blockaded Ukrainian grain.

MORE ON ZAPORIZHZHIA PLANT

* Ukraine's state nuclear power company Energoatom blamed Russia for the damage at the Zaporizhzhia power station.

* Russia's defence ministry accused Ukrainian forces of shelling the plant, saying a leak of radiation had been avoided only by luck.

* Shells hit a high-voltage power line at the Russian-occupied plant, prompting operators to disconnect a reactor despite no radioactive leak being detected. The plant is still run by Ukrainian technicians.

FIGHTING

* Ukraine's southern frontline city of Mykolaiv will impose an unusually long curfew from late Friday to early Monday morning as authorities try to catch people collaborating with Russia, the region's governor said.

* The next weapons package to Ukraine from the United States was expected to be $1 billion and include munitions for long-range weapons and armoured medical transport vehicles, sources briefed on the matter told Reuters.

ECONOMY/DIPLOMACY

* Three ships carrying a total of 58,041 tonnes of corn have been authorised to leave Ukrainian ports as part of a deal to unblock grain exports, said a group comprising Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and U.N. personnel.

* A Turkish presidential aide said the world cannot end the war in Ukraine by ignoring Moscow, saying "diplomacy and peace must prevail"

President Erdogan met President Putin in Russia.

* Russia has banned investors from so-called unfriendly countries from selling shares in energy projects and banks until the end of the year, part of the stand-off with the West over sanctions imposed after the invasion.

* U.S. President Biden said his administration was working hard to secure the release of basketball star Brittney Griner, whose arrest in Moscow a week before Russia invaded Ukraine in February plunged her into the geopolitical maelstrom that followed.

* Russia said it was ready to discuss a prisoner swap with the United States in private.

Reuters