Russia accused Kyiv on Thursday of launching a drone strike against a hotel in the Moscow-held region of Kherson that killed at least 20 people during New Year celebrations and threatens to derail delicate ongoing peace negotiations.
Vladimir Saldo, the Russia-appointed governor, said that three drones struck a cafe and hotel on the Black Sea coast, adding that “civilians were celebrating the New Year” when the explosives hit the Khorly resort during the night. Furthermore, images posted to Telegram revealed charred bodies, piles of smouldering rubble, and a building completely gutted by fire.
Russia’s Investigative Committee immediately opened a criminal probe into the incident to identify the exact number of casualties. While the foreign ministry clarifies the final death toll, officials have already labeled the event a “terrorist attack” by Kyiv.
Sabotaging Peace
The Russian foreign ministry claims the Ukrainian authorities are “deliberately torpedoing any attempts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.” This accusation comes at a critical moment because President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently stated that a peace deal was “10 percent” away. Consequently, Moscow warned of “appropriate consequences” and called for international organizations to condemn the strike against the celebration.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy reported that Russia carried the war “into the New Year” by firing over 200 drones overnight, primarily targeting energy facilities, causing Ukraine’s power operator, Ukrenergo, to cut electricity for a significant number of consumers. Additionally, a Russian strike hit a park and zoo in the Kharkiv region, wounding lions and killing exotic birds.
Despite the violence, US President Donald Trump continues to engage both sides in an effort to end the fighting. However, Ukraine insists that Russia is not interested in peace and only seeks to seize more territory through sabotage. Russia also claims it will soon provide “decrypted data” to the United States regarding a separate alleged drone attempt. Zelenskyy plans to meet with allies in France next week to discuss the future of the coalition.
