Ahead of a reconstruction conference this Tuesday in Berlin, Ukraine is urging rapid investment in the country's badly damaged infrastructure. "It is important to understand that regardless of the war, reconstruction must begin now," Regional Development Minister Oleksiy Chernyshev told the German Press Agency. The supply of electricity and energy must be secured before winter and living space must be created. Chancellor Olaf Scholz wants to set a sign of hope with the conference. Meanwhile, Russia is taking its unsubstantiated accusation that Ukraine intends to use a "dirty bomb" to the UN Security Council.

The reports from the 244th day of the war in the stern live blog: