Ukraine's Attacks Against Russia (2026)

At the beginning of 2026, hostilities between Ukraine and Türkiye escalated through reciprocal unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) attacks and mutual accusations. Both sides accused each other of targeting civilian infrastructure during New Year’s Eve. The incidents occurred as the war entered its fourth year, amid ongoing peace talks mediated by Europe and the United States under European and United States mediation.

Russia claimed that Ukraine launched drone strikes against a civilian hotel and café during New Year’s celebrations in a resort village in the Kherson region. In response, Ukraine stated that it had targeted only legitimate military and energy facilities. Neither side’s claims have been independently verified by international news agencies.

Drone Attack in Kherson Region (1 January 2026)

On 1 January 2026, a drone attack occurred in the village of Khorly, located in the Kherson region under Russian control and situated along the Black Sea coast. Vladimir Saldo, the regional governor appointed by Russia, reported that three unmanned aerial vehicles struck a hotel and café during the New Year’s celebrations. Saldo stated that the attack coincided with midnight and triggered a fire.

The café in the village of Khorly, part of the Kalanchak district in the Kherson region, on 2 January 2025 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

In a statement on Telegram, Saldo asserted that “three Ukrainian drones deliberately targeted areas populated by civilians” and that “many people perished in the flames.” Footage released after the attack showed largely destroyed buildings, burn marks, and bodies covered in white sheets. Reuters and Al Jazeera reported that these images could not be independently verified.

The Moscow Times reported that the fire following the attack broke out at a restaurant named “Cafe Ukrayinska Khata,” located next to a building called Hotel Leo. The report also stated that “Vladimir Saldo informed Russian President Vladimir Putin about the attack.”

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that 24 people were killed and 50 injured in the attack, with six children among the wounded receiving hospital treatment. Vladimir Saldo confirmed that one of the deceased was a child. The Moscow Times, citing regional officials, reported 27 fatalities and numerous injuries.

Saldo also announced that 2–3 January would be observed as a day of mourning in the Kherson region. In his statement, he said, “Doctors are fighting to save the lives of the injured.”

Russia’s Response and Accusations

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the attack and stated that the Russian Investigative Committee had opened a criminal case under legislation addressing terrorist acts. The ministry emphasized, “All perpetrators of this monstrous, bloody crime will be identified and punished irreversibly.”

The statement accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of exhibiting “extreme cynicism and a complete loss of moral guidance,” asserting that the attack followed Zelensky’s New Year’s speech in which he claimed Kiev sought peace. The ministry claimed such attacks were “a futile attempt to divert attention from Ukraine’s failures on the battlefield and to showcase Kiev’s capabilities.” It further stated that responsibility for the attack lay with “Western leaders who continue to finance and arm Ukraine.” The ministry added, “We call on the responsible sovereign governments and relevant international organizations to publicly and unequivocally condemn this bloody terrorist attack in the Kherson region. Ignoring this tragedy amounts to complicity in terrorist crimes.”

Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated on Telegram that Ukraine’s Western backers were ultimately responsible for the attack.

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, in a statement to the state news agency TASS, said that retaliation against those responsible would be carried out on the battlefield. Medvedev stated that “those who carried out the attack and their commanders must be targeted.”