Pro-Russian governor in Kherson accuses Ukraine of killing 24 people in New Year’s Eve drone attack

The Russian-appointed governor of the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson accused the Ukrainian government this Thursday (1st) of having killed at least 24 people in a drone attack on a hotel and a cafe where New Year celebrations were taking place. Vladimir Saldo made the accusation in a post on the Telegram messaging app. 📱Download the g1 app to see news in real time and for free The Armed Forces of Ukraine did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by email, and Saldo did not present images or other evidence that would allow Reuters to confirm the accusation. According to Saldo, three Ukrainian drones struck the site of New Year celebrations in Khorly, a coastal village, in an attack he described as “deliberate.” Russian state agencies reported that at least 24 people were killed and another 29 injured, based on information from the local branch of the Russian Emergencies Ministry. See the trending videos on g1 See the trending videos on g1 Dispute over territories Kherson is one of four regions of Ukraine that Russia declared as part of its territory in 2022 — a decision condemned by Kiev and most Western countries, which classify it as an illegal annexation. Moscow still controls about two-thirds of the Kherson region, which was partially retaken by Ukrainian forces in late 2022. Russia and Ukraine have been exchanging drone strikes almost daily. Moscow has also been hitting civilian targets and Ukrainian energy infrastructure with drones and missiles, which has caused blackouts and heating failures amid low winter temperatures. The episode in Kherson occurs at a time of intensifying initiatives by United States President Donald Trump to try to end the war in Ukraine. US representatives reportedly held separate negotiations with the two sides before the New Year. This Wednesday (31), the chief of staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov, stated that Russian troops are advancing on Ukrainian defenses. Gerasimov also stated that President Vladimir Putin ordered the expansion of a security zone in the Ukrainian regions of Sumy and Kharkiv throughout 2026. According to him, the measure seeks to remove Ukrainian forces from the border and create conditions for new advances. The military stated that Russian troops would be advancing steadily into Ukrainian territory, advancing increasingly on local positions. Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, during a visit to the city of Kherson in 2022 Advisor to the Ukrainian Presidency/via REUTERS

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