In the lead-up to 2024, the escalating conflict between Ukraine and Russia further destabilized the occupied Ukrainian region of Kherson, where a Ukrainian drone strike on New Year's Eve reportedly killed 24 people and injured over 50. The attack targeted the village's key locations during celebrations as reported by Russian authorities on Thursday, underscoring the ongoing violent clashes despite diplomatic engagements between the two nations.
According to Vladimir Saldo, the Kremlin-appointed head of the Kherson region, three unmanned aerial vehicles struck a café and a hotel in Khorly, a popular Black Sea resort town. One drone deployed incendiary materials, resulting in a significant fire. The Ukrainian government has not publicly commented on the incident, and independent verification of the attack remains unavailable.
The incident elicited strong condemnation from senior Russian officials. Valentina Matviyenko, chairperson of the Federation Council, Russia's upper parliamentary chamber, condemned the attack and asserted it reinforced Russia's resolve to fulfill its objectives in Ukraine promptly, referencing the nearly four-year-long invasion.
Matviyenko stated, "This attack once again validates our initial demands," linking the strike to the broader strategic goals of Moscow in the ongoing conflict.
Earlier in the week, Moscow accused Ukraine of executing a long-range drone assault on one of President Vladimir Putin's official residences in Russia's northwest region. Kyiv dismissed the claims as fabrications. The Russian Ministry of Defense declared that their experts accessed the navigation system of one drone used in the attack, confirming the residence as the intended target. However, these claims could not be independently corroborated as no evidence has been publicly released. The ministry indicated it would share findings with U.S. authorities through established diplomatic channels.
On Wednesday, the Russian Ministry of Defense released footage allegedly capturing a downed drone tied to the attack. The nocturnal video depicted a camouflaged individual outfitted with a helmet and Kevlar vest standing beside the damaged drone in a snowy setting. The individual’s identity, as well as the location and the time of the recording, were not disclosed. Independent confirmation of the footage and claims awaits.
Kiev views Moscow’s allegations regarding the drone strike on Putin's residence as attempts to undermine ongoing peace negotiations. The discussions have intensified recently among officials across the Atlantic, with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declaring a peace agreement to be approximately 90% complete during his New Year's address. He cautioned that the unresolved 10%, estimated to involve critical territorial issues, would significantly influence peace prospects, Ukraine's future, European stability, and citizen welfare.
On the diplomatic front, Steve Witkoff, special envoy for former U.S. President Donald Trump, indicated a productive conference call involving key security advisors from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Ukraine focused on advancing European peace processes. Witkoff emphasized strategies to enhance security guarantees and effective de-escalation mechanisms designed to terminate the conflict while preventing its recurrence.
Ukrainian chief negotiator Rustem Umerov reiterated plans for upcoming European and Ukrainian official meetings scheduled for Saturday. Concurrently, President Zelenskyy is set for discussions with European leaders the following week.
In parallel developments, Kyiv has increased pressure on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to hold Russia accountable for documented assaults on critical electrical infrastructure connected to Ukraine's nuclear power plants. The incidents, including a December 23 drone and missile attack, resulted in significant loss of external power connections to key nuclear facilities, posing substantial safety risks.
Meanwhile, overnight Russian drone strikes targeted Ukraine’s Odessa region, focusing on civilian infrastructure, according to regional leader Oleh Kiper. Telegram posts detailed damage to a two-story residential building and a drone impact on a 17th-floor apartment, though the latter did not detonate, and no casualties were reported.
The Ukrainian air force's daily report detailed anti-aircraft operations successfully neutralizing or shooting down 176 of the 205 drones launched against the nation overnight. Twenty-four drones made impact at 15 different sites, indicating ongoing hostilities despite diplomatic efforts.