The Ukrainian military has firmly denied targeting civilians, following accusations from Moscow that a Ukrainian drone strike hit a hotel and cafe in occupied southern Ukraine on New Year's Eve, killing 27 people.
Conflicting Accounts of a Deadly Strike
Russian-installed authorities in Ukraine's Kherson region stated that the attack occurred in the Black Sea resort town of Khorly, which has been under Russian occupation since early 2022. They described the incident as a "terrorist act," claiming those killed were revellers celebrating the New Year and that two of the dead were children.
Vladimir Saldo, the region's Russian-appointed governor, published graphic images on Thursday purporting to show a burned-out building interior and human remains.
Ukraine's Defence: A Military Target, Not Civilians
In response, a source within Ukraine's defence forces confirmed that a strike took place in the area but provided a starkly different account. The source asserted that the attack was directed at a military gathering that was closed to civilians.
Ukrainian army spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy, in comments to AFP, accused Russia of spreading "disinformation and false statements." He emphasized that "Ukraine’s Defence Forces adhere to the norms of international humanitarian law and strike exclusively at enemy military targets."
Accusations Amid a Stalled Conflict
These mutual accusations emerge at a critical juncture in the nearly two-year-long war, the deadliest in Europe since World War II. The incident underscores the persistent fog of war and the challenge of verifying facts on the ground, as AFP noted it was unable to independently verify either version of events.
Earlier on Friday, Ukraine's foreign intelligence service claimed Russia was preparing to orchestrate a "large-scale provocation with human casualties," though it did not immediately provide evidence.
The deadly strike report follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's recent statement that a U.S.-brokered peace deal was "90 percent" ready, while acknowledging that the crucial issue of territory remains unresolved. Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, capturing large areas of eastern and southern Ukraine while conducting daily aerial attacks that have resulted in significant civilian casualties.
