Ukraine mocks Moscow, after the accusation that it killed 27 civilians: “So who was staying at the hotel on New Year's in a village near the front line?”
Russia and Ukraine accuse each other after an attack that led to the death of several civilians in Kherson. Kiev, which rejects and even ridicules Moscow's accusations, maintains that its strikes are aimed exclusively at military targets.
The Kherson region remains one of the most disputed areas between Ukraine and Russia. PHOTO: Profimedia
Ukraine and Russia accuse each other after a drone attack on a cafe and a hotel in the Kherson region, an incident that, according to the Russian authorities, killed 27 civilians, including two children.
Kiev rejects these accusations, stating that all its operations are strictly aimed at military objectives and respect international humanitarian law, and that this is a new example of disinformation provided by Moscow, notes Agerpres.
“The Defense Forces of Ukraine exclusively attack enemy military targets and observe the rules of armed conflict,” said Dmitro Lihovii, spokesman for the Ukrainian General Staff, while a military source told AFP that the raid in question targeted a Russian military gathering held in a location inaccessible to civilians.
On the other hand, Russia claims that on New Year's Eve, Ukrainian drones struck a cafe and a hotel in the village of Horli, in a part of the Kherson region that is under Russian occupation.
The governor appointed by Moscow, Vladimir Saldo, on Friday, January 2, updated the death toll to 27 civilians, compared to the initial report on Thursday, which spoke of 24 dead.
The incident comes at a time of intensifying diplomatic efforts led by the United States to end the war between Ukraine and Russia, which began nearly four years ago with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Europe's worst armed conflict since World War II.
In this context, Russia accuses Kiev that “deliberately sabotages any attempt at a peaceful resolution of the conflict”and Kiev, for its part, says that Moscow is trying to undermine the diplomatic process through disinformation.
“Russia has repeatedly resorted to false statements in order to influence international partners and the course of peace negotiations,” explained Dmitro Lihovii.
Beyond the official response, on social networks, the spokesman of the Ukrainian army, Viktor Tregubov, ridiculed the accusations coming from Russia.
“So who was staying at a hotel on New Year's in a village near the front line in the Kherson region? Obviously, the locals! They always go to hotels on New Year's! The beaches of Kherson are especially welcoming at minus four degrees,” he wrote on Facebook.
