Russia unleashed a record air strike on Ukraine, as US President Donald Trump expressed disappointment over the outcome of his latest phone call with Vladimir Putin aimed at bringing an end to the war.

It was the latest in a series of almost weekly large-scale missile and drone attacks. President Trump said he “didn’t make any progress” with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.

A pall of acrid smoke hung over Kyiv on Friday morning following a night of intensive Russian strikes - the hours of darkness once again punctuated by the staccato of air defence guns, buzz of drones and large explosions.