At least four people were killed and seven wounded in Russia on Monday when Ukrainian drone strikes targeted the Moscow region, local officials said, as Kyiv escalated its attacks in response to Kremlin barrages.
Ukraine has been striking Russia, particularly energy targets, which Kyiv says is fair retribution for Moscow's more than four years of attacks on its territory.
"In the settlement of Pionersky in Istra, three people were killed and three more wounded as a result of a drone falling," Moscow Region Gov. Andrey Vorobyov posted on Telegram.
Two more people had been wounded in another part of the region, he added.
Air defenses shot down 81 drones over the region, Vorobyov said.
In the region of Belgorod on the border with Ukraine, a woman died in a drone strike in the town of Berezovka and two men were wounded in Krinichnoye, local authorities said in a statement.
Drones also attacked southern Stavropol, sparking a fire at an industrial zone, the region's governor said Monday.
"The attack has caused a fire in the industrial zone in ... Vyazniki, Shpakovsky district," Gov. Vladimir Vladimirov posted on Telegram.
He said emergency and firefighting services were at the scene and there were no reports of casualties.
"The drone threat continues to be in effect across the entire region. Be vigilant and careful," he added.
Ukraine's allies are set to meet in Paris Monday for talks on putting pressure on Russia to end the war.
U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to end the fighting have stalled in recent months, as Washington has shifted focus to its conflict with Iran.
