Russian authorities said Friday that the death toll from a Ukrainian drone strike in a Russian-occupied area of Ukraine’s Kherson region has risen to 27, while Kyiv denied targeting civilians and accused Moscow of spreading disinformation.
According to Russia’s Investigative Committee of Russia, a drone struck a café and hotel in the village of Khorly during New Year’s Eve celebrations. Spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said at least 100 civilians were gathered at the time of the attack, which killed 27 people, including two minors. Another 31 people, five of them minors, were hospitalized with injuries.
Petrenko said Russian authorities have opened a criminal investigation on charges of terrorism.
Ukraine rejected the accusations. Dmytro Lykhovii, a spokesperson for General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, told Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne that Ukrainian forces comply with international humanitarian law and conduct strikes only against Russian military targets, fuel and energy facilities, and other lawful objectives.
Lykhovii said the Ukrainian military published a list of targets hit on the night of New Year’s Eve and that the list did not include occupied parts of the Kherson region. He also accused Russia of repeatedly using false claims to undermine ongoing peace negotiations.
The Associated Press said it was unable to independently verify the competing claims.
Zelenskyy names Budanov as chief of staff
In a separate development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the appointment of military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov as head of the Office of the President, effectively making him Zelenskyy’s new chief of staff.
The move follows the resignation of Andrii Yermak in late November amid a corruption investigation related to the energy sector.
In a statement posted on Telegram, Zelenskyy said Ukraine must now sharpen its focus on security, defense development, and diplomacy—areas that will fall under Budanov’s oversight.
Budanov, 39, has led Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, known as the GUR, since 2020. A career intelligence officer, he rose through the ranks following Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and was reportedly wounded during covert operations linked to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Budanov has become one of Ukraine’s most recognizable wartime figures, frequently appearing in public briefings and interviews. Under his leadership, Ukrainian military intelligence expanded its operations, including strikes and sabotage aimed at Russian command centers, logistics hubs, energy infrastructure, and naval assets, both inside Russia and in occupied territories.
Zelenskyy described Budanov as having “specialized experience” and “sufficient strength to achieve results” in the new role.
Fighting and diplomacy continue
The developments come amid intensified diplomatic efforts led by the United States to end the nearly four-year war. Russian officials earlier alleged that Ukraine carried out a long-range drone attack targeting a residence linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kyiv dismissed the claim as an attempt to derail peace talks.
In his New Year’s address, Zelenskyy said a peace agreement was “90 per cent ready,” but warned that unresolved issues—believed to include territorial questions—would determine Ukraine’s future and Europe’s security.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said this week that he, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and presidential adviser Jared Kushner held a call with national security advisers from Britain, France, Germany, and Ukraine to discuss next steps in the peace process.
Meanwhile, fighting continued on the ground. Ukrainian officials said Russia launched one of its largest drone attacks overnight on Zaporizhzhia, with at least nine drones striking the city and damaging dozens of residential buildings. No casualties were reported.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 116 long-range drones overnight, of which 86 were intercepted. Russia’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, claimed its air defenses shot down 64 Ukrainian drones over several Russian regions.
In Russia’s Belgorod region, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov accused Ukrainian forces of carrying out a missile strike that injured two women and damaged residential buildings, vehicles, and a commercial facility.