Russian strikes kill three in Ukraine as Putin warns Europe on troops

Russian strikes killed three civilians and wounded dozens in Ukraine on Saturday, local officials said, as the war was further overshadowed by President Vladimir Putin's warning that any move by European governments to send troops into Ukraine would amount to direct conflict with Russia.

Ukraine is facing growing pressure from Russia's intensified air campaign, which uses ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones to break through defences. Officials say Moscow has also targeted Ukraine's power grid ahead of winter in an attempt to demoralise civilians.

In Zaporizhzhia, two people were killed and one person was wounded when Russian drones hit a residential area overnight, regional head Ivan Fedorov said. In Kryvyi Rih, one person was killed and three others were wounded, according to local officials.