• Ukrainian drone attacks have damaged around 100 Russian ships, causing casualties among sailors from various countries.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the damage inflicted by Ukraine so far amounts to approximately 1% of Russia's gross domestic product, but he believes it is not critical.
• Ukraine has been targeting Russian oil tankers, grain ships, and energy infrastructure in an effort to weaken the Russian economy and hinder Moscow's war efforts.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged that Ukrainian drone attacks have damaged around 100 Russian ships, but said that Kiev has not inflicted "critical damage" on the country.

"I think they have caused us real damage," Putin conceded to reporters in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek on Tuesday.

"People have died, sailors, including foreigners," he said, adding that citizens of Azerbaijan and Turkey were among those killed.

Putin said preliminary estimates put the overall damage caused by the attacks so far at around 1% of Russia's gross domestic product.

"This is not critical damage for us. Nor can they inflict critical damage on us," he said.

Ukraine has targeted oil tankers and grain ships in the Black Sea and neighbouring Sea of Azov as part of its campaign against Russia.

Kiev has also significantly stepped up long-range drone strikes deep inside Russian territory, repeatedly targeting oil refineries and logistics hubs.

Putin said protection of Russian refineries had since been significantly improved. Companies had previously complained that the Russian state had failed to guarantee their security despite repeated assurances from Putin.

Ukraine is seeking to damage the Russian economy and make it more difficult for Moscow to finance its war effort.

Putin repeated comments from a recent interview accusing Kiev of having opened "Pandora's box" with the attacks and threatened even more destructive Russian air strikes in response.

Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Kiev has also reported billions in damage and accused its Western allies of failing to provide sufficient air defence missiles.

Ukraine has been defending itself with Western support against Russia's full-scale invasion for more than four and a half years.