Ukraine: Bloodthirsty Putin launches major 104-drone attack as Trump's deadline close

Russia unleashed a series of drone strikes on Ukraine overnight, injuring scores of civilians and damaging buildings across the country, local media reports. The Kyiv Independent, citing Ukrainian officials, reported that in one of the strikes in the Buchansky district three women were injured. A nursery and houses in Bucha were also damaged, according to the news outlet.

It comes as Donald Trump lines up Russia-Ukraine peace talks with Vladimir Putin. That has left Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelensky urgently seeking to bring in European allies. He responded to the Kremlin's refusal to invite him to a meeting with Mr Trump, saying: "Ukraine is not afraid of meetings and expects the same brave approach from the Russian side."

His comments came on the eve of a White House deadline for Moscow to show progress toward ending the war in Ukraine or suffer more economic sanctions.

When asked on Thursday at the White House whether his deadline of Friday would hold, Mr Trump said of Putin: "It's going to be up to him. We're going to see what he has to say. It's going to be up to him. Very disappointed."

The US president also touched on the killing that has continued on both sides, adding: "I don't like long waits. I think it's a shame."

That concludes our live coverage. For more, go to www.dailyexpress.co.uk