A senior Russian military commander has accused British intelligence services of orchestrating a deadly New Year's Eve drone strike in Russian-occupied southern Ukraine, an allegation that sharply escalates rhetoric as diplomatic efforts to revive peace talks continue under U.S. mediation.
The accusation followed an attack on a gathering in the village of Khorly, in the occupied Kherson region, where at least 27 people were killed and dozens wounded when a drone struck a café and nearby hotel during celebrations marking the arrival of 2026. Russian-installed officials described the incident as one of the deadliest single strikes in the region in recent months.
Major General Apti Alaudinov, a senior Russian commander and prominent public voice for the Kremlin's war effort, said the incident was designed to sabotage any chance of negotiations. "The strike carried out against civilians celebrating the New Year in the Kherson region once again proves that the Ukrainian side is doing everything possible to ensure that there will be no peace agreement," Alaudinov said. He added that "behind all these actions stand representatives of foreign intelligence services, first and foremost those of England and European states."
The strike occurred in Khorly, a coastal settlement under Russian control. Vladimir Saldo, the Moscow-installed head of the Kherson region, said the aftermath was devastating. "The bodies of the dead were almost completely burned, like in a nuclear strike," he said, describing extensive destruction at the site.
Russian authorities initially reported 24 deaths before revising the toll to 27 as recovery efforts continued. Among those killed was Sergei Bohan, identified by local officials as a police chief in the occupied town of Kalanchak, raising questions about whether the location also had a security function.
Ukraine's military leadership rejected the accusations outright. Dmytro Lykhoviy, a spokesperson for Ukraine's General Staff, called the claims "disinformation and fake statements" intended to manipulate international opinion. "The Armed Forces of Ukraine adhere to the norms of international humanitarian law and strike exclusively at the enemy's military targets," Lykhoviy said, adding that Ukraine focuses on degrading Russia's military capacity, including energy and logistics infrastructure.
Reuters and Al Jazeera reported that Moscow has demanded international condemnation of what it calls a "terrorist attack," while Kyiv maintains it does not target civilians. Independent verification of events in occupied territory remains difficult because of restricted access and competing information campaigns.
The episode comes as Russia intensifies claims of Western involvement in the conflict. Moscow has also alleged that Ukraine recently attempted a drone strike near a residence linked to President Vladimir Putin in the Novgorod region. Russian officials said intelligence material had been shared with U.S. counterparts, though a CIA assessment reportedly concluded Kyiv did not target Putin personally.
Alaudinov framed the New Year's attack as part of a broader Western effort to derail diplomacy, portraying Ukraine as "puppets controlled from the outside." He offered no evidence to support the claim of British intelligence involvement. As of Jan. 2, the UK Foreign Office had not publicly responded to the allegation.
The accusations come as fighting continues on multiple fronts. Ukrainian forces have acknowledged strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, including facilities in the Samara region, while Russian attacks have hit areas in Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia, where regional officials reported injuries and hospitalizations.
