Ukraine’s military said on Thursday that its strikes are aimed solely at Russian military and energy infrastructure, following claims from Russian authorities that a drone attack killed civilians in southern Ukraine’s Kherson region.

A spokesperson for the Ukrainian General Staff told Interfax Ukraine that all operations comply with international humanitarian law and are directed at legitimate targets such as military positions and energy facilities.

"The Defence Forces of Ukraine adhere to the norms of international humanitarian law and strike exclusively at enemy military targets, fuel and energy facilities of the Russian Federation, and other legitimate targets...," Interfax quoted the spokesperson as saying.

The spokesperson did not comment directly on Russian reports of a strike on a hotel and café in the village of Khorly, a Russian-controlled area on the Black Sea coast, but said all Ukrainian strikes are published on the military’s social media accounts.

Russian-installed authorities in Kherson reported that the alleged drone attack killed at least 24 people, including a child, and injured approximately 50 others. Vladimir Saldo, the region’s Russia-appointed governor, said three drones struck the hotel and café during New Year celebrations, and claimed one of the drones carried an incendiary device that caused a fire. Saldo described the strike as deliberate against civilians. Photographs circulated by Russian media purport to show the aftermath, including damaged buildings and casualties, though Reuters has not independently verified these images or casualty numbers.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry and senior politicians condemned the incident, describing it as a “terrorist attack” and a potential war crime. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said Moscow would pursue retaliation against those involved.

Kherson is one of four regions claimed by Russia in 2022, a move widely rejected by Kyiv and most Western governments as illegal.

The incident occurred amid a broader rise in drone attacks by both sides. Ukraine has reported strikes on the Ilsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai and the Almetevskaya oil preparation facility in Tatarstan. Ukraine also said Russia launched a large-scale drone attack on energy infrastructure in several regions, leaving over 200,000 households temporarily without power.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted video footage of Russian drone attacks and said the strikes were “deliberate” attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. Ukrainian officials denied targeting civilian areas.

The situation remains under verification as authorities continue to assess casualties and damage.

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