Russia killed two people in an airstrike on the central Ukrainian city of Poltava on Thursday and damaged a military draft office there in what Kyiv said was a concerted campaign to disrupt recruitment for its war effort.

A firefighter works at the site of a building hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Poltava, Ukraine. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Poltava region/Handout via REUTERS KYIV (Reuters) -A Russian attack on the city of Poltava in central Ukraine killed two people and damaged a military recruitment centre,

The number of people injured in the Russian attack on the city of Poltava on 3 July has risen to 47. Source: National Police of Ukraine Details: Police officers, emergency workers, medics, utility workers,

Maj. Gen. Mikhail Gudkov, promoted to deputy head of the Russian Navy just a few months earlier, died in an apparent Ukrainian strike.

A view shows a scene of an explosion in which, according to Russia's investigative committee, Russian general Igor Kirillov, in charge of nuclear protection forces, and his assistant were killed, in Moscow,

While discussing the situation around Iran, Putin emphasized the need to resolve all issues by political and diplomatic means, said Yuri Ushakov, his foreign affairs advisor.

While discussing the Ukraine conflict on the phone, Trump emphasised his push for a quick halt to the fighting, and Putin voiced Moscow's readiness to pursue talks with Kyiv.

The chat was the leaders’ second in a month and comes days after the U.S. paused deliveries of some defensive weapons to embattled Ukraine.

The Kremlin has repeatedly said arms shipments to Ukraine from allies prolong the conflict Moscow started and raise the risk of escalation. The U.S. confirmed this week it had paused supplying some arms to fight Russian aggression.

The United States is halting some weapons shipments to Ukraine amid its war with Russia, the White House confirmed Tuesday. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told CBS News in a statement that the "decision was made to put America's interests first following" a Defense Department "review of our nation's military support and assistance to other countries across the globe.

On Tuesday the White House said that it had cut off some weapons deliveries to Ukraine in order "to put America's interests first".