Major General Mikhail Gudkov, deputy head of the Russian Navy who was praised and promoted by President Vladimir Putin, has been killed in action, depriving Moscow of one of its most senior officers,

The phone call took place as diplomatic efforts from the US to resolve the situation have largely stalled, with Trump facing increasing pressure to push Putin to negotiate more earnestly.

Russia unleashed a massive drone attack on the Ukrainian capital, hours after US President Donald Trump expressed frustration at failing to make any progress toward ending Moscow’s war on Ukraine during a call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.