Ukrainian, Russian strikes kill several in both countries

MOSCOW, July 13 (AFP): Ukrainian drone strikes killed four people, mostly outside Moscow, on Monday while Russian strikes on Ukraine killed at least six-including on a cargo ship-officials from both countries said.
The strikes came as Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky is due to meet with allies in Paris for talks on pushing Moscow to end the almost four-and-a-half-year war.
Kyiv has upped its retaliatory strikes on Russia, hitting as far from the front as Siberia and the Urals and causing nationwide fuel shortages, with Zelensky vowing to keep up the pressure on Moscow. Moscow Region Governor Andrey Vorobyov said 81 drones had been downed over the region surrounding the capital.
"In the settlement of Pionersky in Istra, three people were killed and three more wounded as a result of a drone falling," he said, adding that two more people were wounded in another part of the region.
He published images of a badly destroyed house and apartment blocs with blown out windows.
Russian officials also said that a woman was killed in the border town of Berezovka, in the Belgorod region, and that the southern Stavropol region had also been attacked.
The strikes come after several deadly Russian ballistic missile attacks on Ukraine's capital Kyiv this month.
Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) and Britain targeted Russia Monday with coordinated sanctions over cyber attacks in Europe, accusing Moscow's FSB intelligence agency over involvement in digital strikes. The move comes as Western officials warn Russia has stepped up its "hybrid" campaign to destabilise Europe over four years into the war on Ukraine.
Brussels said it was imposing sanctions on nine people and four entities, while London said it was adding 24 names to its blacklist. The British government said the sanctions-the first joint cyber package with the EU-"target the Russian state's persistent and increasingly reckless attempts to sow chaos and division across Europe".
Among those subjected to asset freezes and visa bans were officers of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency, and alleged "cybercriminals" working together with the Russian state.