Russia accused Ukraine on Thursday of killing at least 24 people, including a child, in a drone strike that hit a hotel and café where civilians were celebrating New Year’s Eve in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s southern Kherson region.
Moscow Labels Attack a ‘War Crime’
Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed governor of Kherson, said three Ukrainian drones struck a gathering site in the coastal village of Khorly, calling it a “deliberate strike” on civilians. He claimed many victims were burnt alive as fire engulfed the building.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said preliminary information indicated that 24 people, among them one child, were killed and around 50 others injured, including six minors. The ministry called the incident “a war crime,” asserting that the attack had been “planned in advance” and that drones had “deliberately targeted areas where civilians had gathered to celebrate New Year’s Eve.”
Reuters was unable to verify the Russian claims or photographs released by Saldo’s office showing the alleged aftermath. Images reviewed by Reuters showed a burnt building, apparent blood stains on the ground, and at least one body covered with a white sheet.
Blame and Condemnation
Ukraine’s military, which has repeatedly accused Russia of killing civilians in missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine’s Western allies of bearing responsibility for the alleged strike. Senior Russian officials, including the speakers of both chambers of parliament, condemned Kyiv and described the incident as an act of terrorism.
“The attack was carried out with Western-supplied equipment and intelligence,” Zakharova said on Telegram, arguing that Ukraine’s backers shared blame for what she called “a barbaric crime.”
Conflict Background
Kherson is one of four regions along with Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia that Russia claimed to have annexed in 2022. Ukraine and most Western nations have rejected those claims as illegal, insisting the territories remain part of sovereign Ukrainian land.
The alleged strike comes amid a period of intensified drone warfare between the two countries. Both sides have targeted infrastructure and settlements far behind the front lines, often trading accusations over attacks that cause civilian casualties.
If confirmed, the incident in Khorly would be one of the deadliest civilian losses reported in Russian-controlled territory in recent months, further fuelling recriminations as the war approaches its third year.
with inputs from Reuters
