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Russia said on May 27 that air strikes carried out in recent days against Ukraine were a "response" to escalating Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian civilians, accusing Kiev of attempting to "impede" peace efforts.
Moscow carried out hundreds of drone strikes in Ukraine from Friday evening to Monday morning, killing dozens of people.
US President Donald Trump, who is trying to mediate an end to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which began three years ago, has declared that Russian President Vladimir Putin has "gone crazy" and has threatened Russia with sanctions over the attacks.
Diplomatic efforts to end the war have intensified in recent weeks, and Russian and Ukrainian officials earlier this month held direct talks for the first time since the war began, but the Kremlin has shown no sign of backing down from its maximalist demands.
"Kiev, with the support of several European states, has taken a number of provocative steps to hinder the negotiations initiated by Russia," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said Russian air defenses destroyed 2,331 Ukrainian drones from May 20 to 27, claiming that over half of them were intercepted in areas outside the battlefield.
"Civilians, including women and children, have been injured," the statement said, adding that the recent Russian attacks in Ukraine were a direct "response" to Ukrainian attacks.
Moscow said it had only hit "civilian targets" in Ukraine, but Kiev said at least 13 civilians were killed in Russian strikes on Sunday.
Kiev has accused Russia of trying to evade responsibility for the killings.
"We must end this endless wait - more sanctions must be imposed on Russia," Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said on Telegram on Tuesday.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022, has so far killed tens of thousands of people and caused widespread destruction in eastern and southern parts of Ukraine. /REL
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