Russia humbles Ukraine with missiles and drones, the lead starts right now.

Ukrainian city after city bombarded by Russia as Putin unleashes a massive attack to the

target reveal strategy as this war drags on.

Plus, emotional plea from Iran's longest-held American prisoner, why he's taking the risk

talking to CNN's Christian on board an exclusive interview from behind bars and new details

about Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell treated for a concussion in a DC hospital now

after a fall.

Welcome to the lead-up, Jake Tapper, and we begin with Putin's brutal war on Ukraine, a

deadly onslaught of Russian strikes blanketing that country today, reaching nearly every

corner of Ukraine from Kiev to Laviv, the worst Russian barrage since January, punctuated

by an unprecedented variety of Russian missiles, including six rare hypersonic missiles alluding

Ukraine's air defenses.

Are Ukrainian officials say in total 84 missiles were launched at least 11 people in Ukraine

were killed.

Russia claims today's massive strike was retaliation for what it calls, quote, terrorist actions

by Ukraine in a Western Russian town last week.

CNN cannot independently verify Russia's claims nor can we confirm evidence of any such

attack.

In six times during this war, renewed fears today of nuclear catastrophe possibly, Europe's

largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizha, once again, shelled, plunged into darkness, forced

to run on backup power.

Ukraine's prime minister is saying it's, quote, nuclear terrorism, committed by Putin.

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