Overview
- Russian-appointed Kherson governor Vladimir Saldo reported a preliminary toll of 24 dead and more than 50 injured after drones hit a cafe and hotel in Horly overnight on January 1.
- Local officials said a reconnaissance drone guided the strike before two additional drones hit, including one described as carrying an incendiary explosive.
- Crimean health authorities said at least ten people injured in the attack were hospitalized in Crimea, three in serious condition including a child, and doctors reported mine‑explosion type injuries.
- The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case on terrorism related to the incident, and state media published photos and video showing burned interiors, destroyed rooms and ongoing removal of bodies.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Vladimir Putin received a phone briefing from Saldo on the situation, while separate U.S. media reports cited a CIA assessment disputing Russian claims about a recent attempted strike on Putin’s Novgorod residence.