Russia Accuses Ukraine of Killing 27 in New Year's Attack in Occupied Kherson
Airstrike on Gathering in Kherson
Russia has accused Ukraine of killing at least 27 people in a drone attack on a New Year's celebration at a hotel and café in the Russian-occupied Kherson region. According to Vladimir Saldo, the regional governor installed by Russia, more than 30 individuals were injured in the incident that he claimed occurred in the village of Khorly, located on the Black Sea coast.
When asked for a comment by BBC, Ukraine stated that it would not respond directly to information sources such as claims from the governors in occupied regions, but emphasized that it adheres to international humanitarian law and conducts strikes solely against military targets. The AFP news agency cited a source from Ukraine's defense forces confirming that while an attack did occur, it targeted a military gathering that was closed to civilians.
According to Saldo, the attack was carried out using three UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) that “struck a café and hotel on the Black Sea coast in Khorly.” BBC has been unable to independently verify these claims or the casualty count. Saldo mentioned that he personally informed President Vladimir Putin about the attack.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has stated it is aware of the alleged attack and added that it will verify the reported damages among civilians and report the findings in future reports.
Images published by Russian state media showed a heavily damaged room with a collapsed roof. One image appeared to show a body covered with a cloth. Authorities installed by Russia in Kherson did not specify where the attack took place, but the damaged building shown in the photographs seems to be a three-story hotel and restaurant, formerly known as “Ukrainian House” and now referred to as “Buganova Café.”
The Russian Investigative Committee has announced it has opened an investigation into the attack, while the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of “attempting to intimidate the populations of the reunified regions with Russia, which have forever linked their fate with Russia through referendums.” Moscow occupies more than half of the southern Kherson region, which it “annexed” via a contested referendum in 2022, objected by the Ukrainian government and its allies.
This alleged attack comes amid diplomatic efforts to conclude the war, with Zelensky stating in his New Year’s address that an agreement with Russia, mediated by the USA, was “90% ready.” Earlier this week, Russia accused Ukraine of launching a drone attack on one of Putin’s residences, which Ukraine vehemently denied.
