Russian authorities have accused Ukraine of carrying out a deadly drone strike on a village under its occupation, claiming the attack killed 27 people during a New Year's Eve celebration. Kyiv has firmly rejected the accusation, stating it only targets legitimate military objectives.
Details of the Alleged Attack
According to a statement from Svetlana Petrenko, spokeswoman for Russia's Investigative Committee, the incident occurred in the village of Khorly in the occupied part of Ukraine's Kherson region. Petrenko stated that a Ukrainian drone struck a café and hotel where at least 100 civilians were gathered overnight into Thursday, 1 January 2026.
The reported death toll rose to 27 on Friday, 2 January, including two minors. A further 31 people, five of them children, were hospitalised with injuries. Russia has opened a criminal terrorism investigation into the event.
Kyiv's Firm Denial and Broader Context
Ukraine's military command has categorically denied attacking civilian targets. General Staff spokesman Dmytro Lykhovii told Ukraine's Suspilne broadcaster that its forces "adhere to the norms of international humanitarian law" and conduct strikes exclusively against Russian military targets and energy infrastructure.
Lykhovii said an official list of targets struck on New Year's Eve had been published, which did not include sites in occupied Kherson. He accused Russia of using disinformation to disrupt ongoing peace negotiations, which have gained momentum recently.
The allegations come amid a significant diplomatic push, led by the United States, to end the nearly four-year war. In his New Year's address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a peace deal was "90% ready," but warned the final 10% concerning issues like territory would be decisive.
Escalating Strikes and Accusations
The reported strike in Kherson is part of a wider escalation of attacks. Separately, Russian forces launched what local officials described as one of the most massive drone assaults on the city of Zaporizhzhia. Regional head Ivan Fedorov said at least nine drones hit, damaging dozens of residential buildings, though no casualties were reported.
Ukraine's Air Force stated that Russia fired 116 long-range drones overnight, with 86 intercepted. Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry claimed its air defences shot down 64 Ukrainian drones over several Russian regions.
Further accusations flew from Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of Russia's Belgorod region, who said a Ukrainian missile strike on the city of Belgorod injured two women and damaged buildings and cars.
The Associated Press noted it could not independently verify the claims from either side regarding the attack in Khorly.
