Vladimir Putin is facing mounting anger from Russia's elite as the war in Ukraine drags on and the country's economy continues to suffer under the weight of Western sanctions

Trump said a meeting between himself and Putin was being set up, however, Putin's spokesman said Moscow had received no requests to set up a meeting.

Russia has launched more than 51,000 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine since the start of its full-blown invasion nearly three years ago, the Ukrainian air force said on Thursday. Guided, or glide,

President-elect Donald Trump said he is planning a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he wants to end the "bloody mess" of the Ukraine war.

On January 8, Russian forces launched one of the most devastating attacks of the war in this region, dropping two glide bombs that killed at least 13 people and wounded 122 others. The city declared a day of mourning on January 9,

President-elect Trump said late Thursday that a meeting is in the works with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine. Why it matters: Trump said on the campaign trail that he would swiftly end the nearly three-year-old war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office.

Senior Russian security and military officials are pushing for an escalation of hostilities in Ukraine, opposing any prospects of negotiations. Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Details: ISW analysts note that Russian security forces deem it crucial to escalate military operations in Ukraine,