Russia has accused Ukraine of carrying out a drone strike that killed at least 27 people and injured over 30 others during a New Year’s party in the Russian-occupied southern Kherson region. The alleged attack reportedly targeted a hotel and cafe in the village of Khorly, along the Black Sea coast.

Details of the Alleged Attack

According to Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed governor of Kherson, the strike involved three UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) that hit the cafe and hotel simultaneously. Russian state media released photographs showing a heavily damaged three-storey building with a collapsed roof and at least one covered body. The building appears to match images of “Buganova’s Cafe,” formerly known as Ukrainian House.

Russia’s Investigative Committee has reportedly opened an investigation into the incident, while the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of attempting to “intimidate the populations of the reunited Russian regions” following the region’s controversial 2022 referendum.

Conflicting Reports

The BBC has been unable to independently verify the claims regarding the number of casualties or the circumstances of the attack. Ukraine declined to respond directly to statements from governors in occupied territories but emphasized that its armed forces adhere to international humanitarian law and strike only military targets.

A source in Ukraine’s defense forces told AFP that a strike did occur, but it targeted a military gathering closed to civilians, suggesting that any civilian casualties were not intentional.

International Response and Context

The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine stated it is aware of the alleged attack and will verify reports of civilian harm, providing updates in future reports.

The alleged strike comes amid heightened diplomatic efforts to end the war, with Ukraine and Russia engaged in US-brokered peace talks. President Zelensky noted in his New Year address that a peace agreement with Russia is reportedly “90% ready.”

Earlier this week, Russia accused Ukraine of a drone attack on one of President Putin’s residences, which Ukraine denied. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s foreign intelligence service claimed that Russia was preparing large-scale provocations aimed at causing civilian casualties to derail peace negotiations.

Strategic Importance of Kherson

Russia occupies more than half of the southern Kherson region, which it claimed to annex through a referendum in 2022. This poll was widely denounced by Ukraine and its allies as illegitimate. The region remains a key flashpoint in the ongoing conflict, with frequent clashes, drone strikes, and reports of civilian harm.

The alleged New Year attack highlights both the human cost of the conflict and the complexity of verifying information in occupied territories, as both sides provide conflicting accounts.