Drone strike kills 24 in Russian-occupied Ukraine on New Year's Eve, escalating tensions
On New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2025, a Ukrainian drone attack struck a cafe and hotel in Khorly, a Black Sea resort town in the Russian-occupied Kherson region. The attack resulted in 24 deaths and at least 50 injuries. According to Vladimir Saldo, the Moscow-installed leader of the Kherson region, three drones were involved, one carrying an incendiary payload that ignited a fire.
Russian officials condemned the attack. Valentina Matviyenko stated that the strike strengthened Russia's resolve and supported its declared war aims. The Russian Defence Ministry claimed to have traced the drone’s navigation data, alleging that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence in north-western Russia was the intended final destination. They indicated that this data would be shared with US officials through established channels. However, the Wall Street Journal reported that the CIA concluded there had been no attempted attack on Putin’s residence.
Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on the strike. Kyiv described the allegations regarding Putin’s residence as a tactic aimed at derailing peace talks. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a peace deal was 90% ready, with the remaining 10% relating to territorial issues that would determine the agreement’s outcome.
Diplomatic outreach continued amid tensions: Steve Witkoff, envoy for former US President Donald Trump, reported a productive call involving UK, France, Germany, and Ukraine’s National Security Advisors discussing progress on the European peace process. Ukrainian lead negotiator Rustem Umerov announced plans for European-Ukrainian talks scheduled for Saturday, during which Zelenskyy was set to meet European officials.
