Vladimir Putin is playing with fire over his continued assault of Ukraine, Donald Trump has warned.

The US president heaped further criticism on the Russian leader after he launched the biggest drone and missile attacks on Ukraine since the war began almost four years ago.

“What Vladimir Putin doesn’t realise is that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!” Mr Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

A record number of Russian drones killed at least 13 people across Ukraine at the weekend, despite a prisoner exchange and the US pushing for a truce.

Russia mocks Trump

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, shot back at Mr Trump, saying: “Regarding Trump’s words about Putin ‘playing with fire” and ‘really bad things’ happening to Russia.

“I only know of one REALLY BAD thing — WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!”

RT, Russia’s state broadcaster also mocked the US president, writing on X: “Trump’s message leaves little room for misinterpretation,” the outlet wrote.

“Until he posts the opposite tomorrow morning.” 

The rebuke from Mr Trump is the latest display of his apparent shifting attitude towards Putin.

On Monday, the US president called Vladimir Putin “absolutely crazy” for his attacks on Ukrainian cities in some of his strongest criticism to date.