MOSCOW - Russia's Defence Ministry said on Friday that its forces had carried out a massive and successful strike on military and military-related targets in Ukraine overnight in response to what it called Ukrainian \"terrorist acts\" against Russia.

The Russian attacks come after President Donald Trump likened the two sides to children on a playground who needed “to fight for a while.”

Russia will take years to replace nuclear-capable bomber planes that were hit in Ukrainian drone strikes last weekend, according to Western military aviation experts, straining a modernisation programme that is already delayed.