Ukrainian Drone Strike in Occupied Kherson Claims 24 Lives During New Year’s Celebrations, Officials Report

At least 24 individuals lost their lives, and many others were injured in a drone strike by Ukraine targeting a town in occupied southern Ukraine, as stated by officials installed by the Kremlin on Thursday morning. They accused Kyiv of intentionally attacking civilians during New Year’s Eve festivities.

Vladimir Saldo, the governor of the Kherson region appointed by Moscow, reported that drones hit a hotel and restaurant in the Black Sea resort town of Khorly during the night, igniting a fire while people were celebrating.

Although Saldo did not disclose the specific hotel and restaurant targeted, he mentioned that a child was among those who perished. He later shared images from the aftermath, showing multiple bodies trapped under the debris of the burnt structure.

The Moscow Times successfully pinpointed the location of the images to a restaurant named Cafe Ukrayinska Khata, situated adjacent to Hotel Leo.

In response to the tragic incident in Khorly, Russia’s Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal investigation, categorizing the attack as an act of terrorism.

Ukraine has not issued an immediate response.

In Russia, Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that air defense systems intercepted and destroyed nine Ukrainian drones as they approached the capital.

Other regions, including Krasnodar in the south, experienced minor damage due to drone assaults. Several airports placed temporary restrictions on flights amid the aerial onslaught.

According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, 168 Ukrainian drones were shot down across the country, including over the Azov Sea, between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

On the Ukrainian side, military officials stated that Russia launched 205 drones at various targets within the country overnight. Regional authorities indicated damage to energy infrastructure.