Overview
- Russia’s Investigative Committee said 27 people, including two minors, were killed and 31 injured in a drone strike on a café and hotel in Russian-occupied Khorly, and it opened a terrorism case.
- Ukraine’s General Staff said its forces strike only military and energy targets and published a New Year’s target list that did not include occupied Kherson, while the Associated Press said it could not verify the Khorly claims.
- An unnamed Ukrainian defense source told AFP that a strike occurred but targeted a military gathering closed to civilians, a claim AFP could not independently confirm.
- U.S. intelligence, including the CIA, told President Trump there is no credible evidence Ukraine tried to hit a Putin residence in the Novgorod region, and analysts say Russian-released debris and footage remain uncorroborated.
- Officials on both sides reported extensive holiday drone activity, with Ukraine citing Russian attacks on energy infrastructure and Russia reporting interceptions and strikes across multiple regions.