Ukrainian drone strike on New Year party kills at least 24 in Russia's Kherson

Moscow: At least 24 people were killed, and more than 50 were injured when three Ukrainian drones struck a cafe and a hotel in the Kherson region, where people were celebrating the New Year.

The strike took place on Wednesday night.

"Tonight, the enemy launched a targeted drone strike on a site where civilians were celebrating the New Year. Three UAVs struck a cafe and a hotel on the Black Sea coast in Khorly. According to preliminary reports, more than 50 people were injured, and 24 were killed. The numbers are being clarified," Kherson governor Volodymyr Saldo was quoted as saying by Rossiya-24 channel.

In his Telegram post, Saldo said the reconnaissance drone strike occurred just before midnight.

Meanwhile, the air defence systems have intercepted and destroyed 168 Ukrainian UAVs over the regions during the New Year night, and many airports in south and central Russia were closed for hours due to the threat of drone strikes.

"During the past night, 168 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted and destroyed by air defence systems on duty: 61 over the territory of the Bryansk Region," the Defence Ministry said in a statement released on Thursday morning "Twenty-five over the territory of the Krasnodar Region, 23 over the territory of the Tula Region, 16 over the territory of the Republic of Crimea; 12 over the Moscow Region, including nine UAVs flying towards capital Moscow; seven over the territory of the Kaluga Region, 24 UAVs were destroyed over the waters of the Sea of Azov,” it said.