An executive at a Russian drone development company was hospitalised after an apparent assassination attempt in the city of Tula, about 190 kilometres south of Moscow, on Wednesday, Russian media reported.

According to the Mash outlet, which specialises in crime reporting, an unidentified gunman waited for Andrey Cherezov Pavlovich, the company's head, on the staircase of his apartment building before shooting him three times.

The attacker ambushed Cherezov as he returned home from work around midnight.

Cherezov survived the attack and was taken to a local hospital, although officials have not disclosed details about his condition.

The gunman fled the scene and remains at large as law enforcement authorities continue their search.

According to Izvestiya, Cherezov's wife heard the gunshots from inside their apartment but did not see the suspect.

The attack comes as the drone war between Russia and Ukraine has intensified over the course of the four-year conflict.

Investigators examined the scene on Mikheeva Street, collecting forensic evidence as part of the investigation.

Russia’s Investigative Department (SU) of the Investigative Committee (IC) has opened an attempted murder case and is working to identify and arrest those responsible for the attack.

Cherezov is the director and primary owner of the Russian Laboratory of Air Transport (LLC RLVT), an aerospace company that develops advanced unmanned aerial vehicle technology and generates billions of rubles in revenue.