KYIV—Russia battered Ukraine with multiple missile strikes on Thursday as its troops sought to advance in the east, Kyiv said, while Western allies pledged to keep military aid flowing for an intended Ukrainian spring counter-offensive.
Following a pattern of heavy bombardments at times of Ukrainian battlefield or diplomatic advances, Russia launched 32 missiles in the early hours, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
Half were shot down, it added, a lower rate than normal.
Among them, air defences in the south downed eight Kalibr missiles fired from a ship in the Black Sea, Ukrainian officials claimed. Other missiles struck northern and western Ukraine as well as the central regions of Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovohrad….