Kherson,  1 Jan  

At least 24 people were killed and more than 50 injured after three Ukrainian drones struck a café and a hotel in the Kherson region late on New Year’s Eve, authorities said.

The attack occurred on Wednesday night in the coastal settlement of Khorly, where civilians had gathered to celebrate the New Year.

Kherson governor Volodymyr Saldo, quoted by Rossiya-24, said three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) carried out a targeted strike on the site shortly before midnight.

“According to preliminary information, more than 50 people were injured and 24 were killed. The figures are being clarified,” he said. In a post on Telegram, Saldo added that the strike involved reconnaissance drones.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defence Ministry said air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 168 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones across several regions during the New Year night.

In a statement issued on Thursday morning, the ministry said 61 UAVs were downed over Bryansk region, 25 over Krasnodar, 23 over Tula, 16 over Crimea, and 12 over the Moscow region, including nine heading towards the capital. Seven drones were intercepted over Kaluga, while 24 were destroyed over the waters of the Sea of Azov.

Several airports in southern and central Russia were temporarily closed overnight due to the threat of drone attacks, officials said.