Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Deadly Russian strikes after tanks pledged to Ukraine

Russia pounded Ukraine with missiles and drones, killing at least 11 people, according to officials, after Western allies pledged tanks to Kyiv in its fight against Moscow's invasion.

Russia pounded Ukraine with missiles and drones, killing at least 11 people, according to officials, after Western allies pledged tanks to Kyiv in its fight against Moscow's invasion. FIGHTING

* Ukraine's military said it shot down 47 of 59 Russian missiles - some fired from Tu-95 strategic bombers in the Russian Arctic. Russia also launched 37 air strikes, 17 of them using Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones. All drones were downed, the military general staff said. * Explosions were heard near Ukraine's Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, U.N. nuclear watchdog IAEA said. A Russian official dismissed the comments as suggesting Moscow could not uphold nuclear safety.

* A former commander of Russia's Wagner mercenary group who fled to Norway has spoken about how he witnessed some of his comrades being shot as they were trying to flee from the frontline in Ukraine, his Norwegian lawyer said. * Reuters was unable to independently verify battlefield reports.

WEAPONRY * Canada will send four Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine, the Canadian defence minister said, after Germany this week allowed other countries to re-export the German-built tank.

* France and Italy are close to finalising the technical details to supply an SAMP/T air defence system to Ukraine, two diplomatic sources said. * The Kremlin said it saw the promised delivery of Western tanks as evidence of growing "direct involvement" of the United States and Europe in the 11-month-old war, something both deny.

DIPLOMACY * Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych criticised the International Olympic Committee for considering allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to international competitions in Asia.

SANCTIONS * The United States stepped up sanctions against the Wagner Group, labelling it a transnational criminal organization responsible for widespread human rights abuses.

* A new song by a well-known Russian comic that satirises Moscow's war in Ukraine and its supporters has been referred to prosecutors by an organisation which believes it discredits the army, now a criminal offence. CORRUPTION

* Ukrainian government officials who shirk their duties during wartime will be quickly removed, a top aide to President Zelenskiy said amid a crack down on corruption. (Compiled by Grant McCool)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)