Russia bombards areas where it pledged to scale back

By NEBI QENA and YURAS KARMANAU
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country is at a “turning point” in the war with Russia. Speaking late Wednesday in a video address to the nation, Zelenskyy said he stressed the importance of the moment in talks with U.S. President Joe Biden. Zelenskyy said he thanked the U.S. for an additional $500 million in aid. But he also said he was open with Biden about Ukraine needing more to resist the Russian invasion. He said that freedom “should be armed no worse than tyranny.” Ukrainian officials say Russian forces pounded areas around Ukraine’s capital and another city just hours after Moscow pledged on Tuesday to scale back military operations in those places.