A Ukrainian drone attack on a Russian-held part of Ukraine’s southern Kherson region has killed at least 20 people, a Moscow-installed governor and Russian authorities said Thursday.
“Three UAVs struck a cafe and hotel on the Black Sea coast in Khorly. According to preliminary reports, more than 50 people were injured, and 24 people were killed,” Vladimir Saldo said on Telegram.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said it had opened a probe into the attack which had “killed more than 20 people and injured many more.”
A building gutted by fire, piles of smoldering rubble and charred bodies were seen in pictures posted by Saldo on Telegram.
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of carrying out a “terrorist attack” on civilians.
Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented.
The village of Khorly is located on a peninsula on the Black Sea coast and fell under Russian control at the start of the offensive launched by the Russian army against Ukraine in February 2022.
In the fall of 2022, the Ukrainian army recaptured a large part of the Kherson region, including the regional capital, during a counter-offensive.
Since then, the Dnieper river has marked the front line in the region, and the two sides regularly stage deadly drone attacks.