Russia Accuses Ukraine of Deadly New Year Drone Strike in Occupied Kherson Region

Russia has accused Ukraine of being responsible for the deaths of at least 27 people following an alleged drone strike carried out during a New Year celebration in the Russian-occupied Kherson region of southern Ukraine.

According to claims made by the Russia-appointed governor of the region, Vladimir Saldo, the incident occurred in the coastal village of Khorly, located along the Black Sea. He stated that the attack targeted a hotel and café where a New Year gathering was taking place, resulting in numerous casualties. Saldo further alleged that more than 30 individuals sustained injuries during the incident.

When contacted by the BBC for clarification, Ukrainian officials declined to respond directly to statements issued by representatives of territories under Russian occupation. However, Ukraine reiterated its position that it strictly follows international humanitarian law and only conducts military operations against legitimate military objectives.

A report by the AFP news agency quoted a source within Ukraine’s defence forces who acknowledged that a strike had occurred in the area. According to the source, the operation was aimed at what was described as a military assembly and was reportedly inaccessible to civilians at the time.

Saldo claimed that the attack involved three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which allegedly struck both a café and a hotel situated along the Black Sea coastline in Khorly. Independent verification of these claims, including the reported death toll, has not been possible.

The regional governor also stated that he personally briefed Russian President Vladimir Putin about the incident.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine confirmed that it was aware of reports concerning the alleged strike. The mission noted that it would assess the claims, verify any civilian harm, and include its conclusions in future publications.

Images circulated by Russian state-controlled media showed extensive structural damage to a building, including a collapsed roof. One photograph appeared to depict a body covered with a sheet. Although Russian-installed officials did not publicly identify the exact location, the damaged structure resembles a three-storey hotel and restaurant previously known as “Ukrainian House,” now reportedly operating under the name “Buganova’s Café.”

Visual materials from the café’s website appear to match several architectural details visible in the images released by Russian media outlets.

Russia’s Investigative Committee announced that it has launched a formal inquiry into the alleged attack. In addition, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of attempting to intimidate residents in territories that Russia claims have permanently joined the country through referendums.

Russia currently controls more than half of the Kherson region, which it declared annexed following a referendum in 2022. The vote was rejected by Ukraine and widely criticized by its international partners, who described it as illegitimate.

The reported incident comes at a time when diplomatic discussions aimed at ending the conflict remain ongoing. In his New Year address, President Zelensky stated that a potential peace agreement with Russia, facilitated by the United States, was “90% ready.”

Earlier in the week, Russian authorities accused Ukraine of attempting a drone strike on one of President Putin’s residences, an allegation that Kyiv strongly denied.

Additionally, Ukraine’s foreign intelligence service released a statement on Friday alleging that Russia was preparing large-scale provocations involving civilian casualties, claiming such actions were intended to disrupt ongoing peace negotiations.