VLADIMIR Putin has again refused to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky as he ordered his troops to unleash another deadly blitz on civilians.

At least six Ukrainians were killed in the horror Russian strikes which targeted a high rise building and left a shopping mall up in flames.

The sickening strikes hit a Novodvoryansky residential complex in Dnipro city, killing one man and injuring a woman in a huge explosion.

Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv was struck with aerial bombs, drones and missiles in three hours of hell.

Kamianske was also invaded by a swarm of 35 drones with the Epicentre shopping centre being impacted and sending civilians fleeing.

The terrifying night of strikes came just after Zelensky issued a challenge to Putin urging him to finally discuss a peace deal in person.

It would be the first meeting of the pair since Russia’s illegal invasion in 2022.

US President Donald Trump even told reporters on Friday that the pair would definitely meet soon.

He said: “It’s going to happen, but it should have happened 3 months ago.”

But the Kremlin was quick to dismiss both Western leaders as Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov officially said a meeting won’t take place unless a peace deal is ready to be finalised.

This isn’t likely to happen until the end of August at the earliest, he added.

Peskov said: “A summit meeting [involving Putin] can and should put an end to the settlement and formalise the modalities and agreements that are to be worked out in the course of expert work.

“It is impossible to do the opposite. Is it possible to complete such a complex process in 30 days? Obviously, it is unlikely.”

Any hopes for a breakthrough continue to appear bleak as warned the enemies remain “diametrically opposed” last week.

Zelensky has previously proposed a four-way summit which also involves the US and Turkey.

The US has also said an unconditional, 30-day ceasefire could be put in place to help pave the way for a long-standing deal.

Moscow has rejected both proposals.

Many experts believe that a scheming Putin is holding out as long as he can so his forces can seize more land in Ukraine.

Vlad can then go to the negotiating table in a stronger position.

Despite his refusal to stop the bloodshed, pressure is still mounting on the tyrant to end the war in Ukraine.

President Trump issued a blistering 50-day ultimatum to Russia earlier this month saying he must agree to a ceasefire of face crippling sanctions.

He vented his frustration with Putin, declaring he was “disappointed” but “not done” with the Russian tyrant.

There are now growing fears that Putin is preparing for an even deadlier chapter in his war.

According to German Major General Christian Freuding, Moscow is plotting a mass drone assault involving 2,000 Shahed drones, in a bid to overwhelm Ukraine’s already strained air defences.

The general warned: “We have uncovered worrying intelligence… [Russia is] significantly expanding its weapons production capacity.”

Chilling footage aired on Russian state TV showed teenagers working in a so-called “drone death factory,” with Moscow boasting about the “huge, bright workshops” churning out kamikaze drones by the hundreds.