Russia and Ukraine trade civilian attack accusations over New Year

Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of targeting civilians during New Year attacks, as intensified fighting coincided with U.S.-led efforts to push both sides towards ending the nearly four-year war.

Moscow said at least 24 people were killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on a hotel and café in a Russian-controlled part of southern Ukraine’s Kherson region, where civilians were celebrating the New Year. Kyiv, meanwhile, accused Russia of launching a large overnight drone assault that hit energy infrastructure across multiple Ukrainian regions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said more than 200 Russian attack drones were launched overnight, targeting power facilities in seven regions. Writing on Telegram, he said the strikes showed Ukraine could not afford delays in receiving promised air defence systems from its allies.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry described the alleged strike on the village of Khorly as a “deliberate attack on civilians”, calling it a war crime and saying more than 50 people were injured. Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed governor of the region, said three drones hit a hotel and café, claiming some victims were burned alive.

Ukraine’s military said it targets only military and energy facilities and did not directly comment on the reported hotel strike. Kyiv has repeatedly accused Russia of killing civilians through air attacks on Ukrainian cities, including in Ukrainian-held parts of Kherson.

Reuters said it could not independently verify the Russian claims or images released by Russian authorities showing the aftermath of the alleged strike. Russia’s TASS news agency published footage of drone fragments bearing Ukrainian markings.

The Russian Defence Ministry said its own strikes had hit military and energy targets, which it claimed were supporting Ukraine’s armed forces. Ukrainian officials reported further civilian casualties, with the governor of Kherson region saying one man was killed and an elderly woman injured in Russian attacks on Thursday.

Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Oleksiy Kuleba said rail infrastructure was damaged in three regions, while Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said Russian air defences shot down 35 Ukrainian drones over the past 24 hours, reporting no damage or casualties in the capital.

The renewed accusations come amid sensitive diplomacy overseen by U.S. President Donald Trump, as both Moscow and Kyiv seek to influence negotiations aimed at ending the war. Russia has previously accused Ukraine of attempting to attack President Vladimir Putin’s residence, a claim denied by Ukraine, European officials and U.S. security agencies.

Kherson is one of four Ukrainian regions that Russia claimed to annex in 2022, a move rejected by Kyiv and most of the international community.

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