Kherson
Russia on Thursday accused Ukraine of killing at least 24 people, including a child, in a drone attack on a hotel and café during New Year celebrations in a Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s southern Kherson region.
Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed governor of Kherson, said on Telegram that three Ukrainian drones struck a hotel and café in the coastal village of Khorly, where civilians had gathered to mark the New Year. He described the strike as “deliberate” and alleged that several people were burned alive in the ensuing fire. Russian authorities claimed at least 50 people were injured in the attack.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry echoed the claims, calling the incident a “terrorist attack” and a “war crime”. It said the drones had intentionally targeted a civilian gathering. Photographs released by Saldo purported to show the aftermath, including fire damage and bodies covered with sheets, though the images could not be independently verified.
Senior Russian politicians, including the speakers of both houses of parliament, condemned Kyiv, while Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova blamed Ukraine’s Western backers for the alleged attack.
Kherson is one of four Ukrainian regions that Russia claimed to annex in 2022, a move rejected by Kyiv and most Western nations as illegal.
Ukraine’s military did not comment directly on the Kherson allegations. However, it said it carried out overnight strikes on Russia’s Ilsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar region and the Almetyevsk oil facility in Tatarstan, adding that damage assessments were under way.
The claims come amid heightened tensions and parallel diplomatic efforts, with both sides continuing military operations as discussions on a possible peace process intensify.
