Tragic New Year Drone Strike in Occupied Kherson: 27 Dead, Eyewitnesses Report Civilian Targeting Claims

At least 27 individuals lost their lives, and many others sustained injuries in a drone strike attributed to Ukraine targeting a town in occupied southern Ukraine, according to officials installed by the Kremlin on Thursday. They accused Kyiv of purposefully attacking civilians amid New Year’s Eve festivities.

Vladimir Saldo, the governor of the occupied Kherson region appointed by Moscow, reported that drones hit a hotel and a restaurant in the Black Sea resort town of Khorly during the night, igniting a fire as people had gathered for celebrations. He noted that one of the victims was a child.

After briefings on the tragic event with President Vladimir Putin, Saldo released photos showcasing the aftermath, where numerous bodies were visible under the debris of a charred building.

The Moscow Times successfully identified the location in the images as a restaurant named Cafe Ukrayinska Khata in Khorly, situated next to Hotel Leo, which appears to have been closed since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Russia’s Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal investigation into the drone strike, labeling it as a potential act of terrorism.

In response, the Ukrainian military denied targeting civilians in Khorly, asserting that its operations «comply with international humanitarian law and exclusively engage military targets.»

An unnamed source within Ukraine’s defense forces informed AFP that while the strike occurred early Thursday, the drones targeted a military assembly that was not accessible to the public.