Russia pounds Ukraine as Putin gets Iran’s backing

By SUSIE BLANN
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian missiles have struck cities and villages in eastern and southern Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin received Iran’s strong support for his military operation. The regional governor in the eastern city of Kramatorsk said one person was killed in an airstrike Tuesday that hit an apartment building. Fresh blood stained the concrete amid green leaves that were from trees as nearby apartments on two floors burned. Russian forces also fired seven Kalibr cruise missiles overnight at the Odesa region in southern Ukraine. Ukraine claimed to have shot down a Russian fighter jet in the Kherson region in southern Ukraine. A U.S. official reported Russian plans to annex Ukrainian territory that it has captured, and he forecast more U.S. weapons’ supply to Ukraine.