Russia and Ukraine accused each other of targeting civilians on New Year’s Day. Moscow reported a deadly strike on a hotel in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine, while Kyiv said it faced another large-scale attack on its energy infrastructure. The allegations came amid intensive peace talks overseen by US President Donald Trump, with both countries trying to influence his perspective and the outcome.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Telegram that over 200 Russian attack drones struck Ukraine overnight on New Year’s, targeting energy infrastructure across seven regions. Russia claimed Ukraine’s drone strike killed at least 24 people, including a child, at a hotel and café in the Kherson region where civilians were celebrating the holiday. Ukraine’s military, which has previously accused Russia of civilian attacks, stated it only targets military and energy sites, without mentioning the hotel strike.

Zelenskiy emphasized that Russia’s attacks highlight the urgent need for air defense supplies, saying Ukraine expects equipment agreed with the United States in December to arrive on time. Russian-installed Kherson governor Vladimir Saldo said three Ukrainian drones hit celebrations in the village of Khorly, calling it a “deliberate strike” on civilians. Russia’s Foreign Ministry reported 24 dead and 50 injured, alleging Ukraine was attempting to distract from its military setbacks.

Moscow also accused Kyiv of attempting to target President Vladimir Putin’s residence, though Ukrainian, European, and US officials denied the attack occurred. A senior Russian military officer presented fragments of a Ukrainian drone to a US military attache, claiming it contained evidence of the planned strike.

Photos released by Saldo’s press office showed at least one body under a white sheet, a burned building, and bloodstains. Russia’s TASS agency shared footage of drone fragments, some marked with Ukrainian writing. Ukrainian officials reported civilian casualties from Russian attacks, including one death and injuries to an elderly woman in Kherson city. Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said railway facilities in three regions had also been hit.

Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed its strikes hit military targets and energy infrastructure supporting Ukraine’s military. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, called for those responsible for the hotel attack to be punished. Kherson is one of four Ukrainian regions that Russia claimed in 2022, a move widely condemned as illegal. Moscow’s Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russian air defenses had shot down 35 Ukrainian drones in the past 24 hours, reporting no casualties or damage.