Drone Strikes Surge Near Russia’s Border as Paris Peace Talks Loom
Updated (5 articles)
Border Region Fatalities Highlight Rising Tensions On January 4, Ukrainian‑launched drones hit a car in Belgorod, killing one and wounding two, including a child, according to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, while a separate strike in Kursk killed another civilian, Governor Alexander Khinshtein reported [1]. The same day, a Russian missile attack on Kharkiv killed five people, with bodies found under rubble [1]. These attacks occur as European security advisers converge on Kyiv to discuss guarantees ahead of the scheduled Paris negotiations [1].
Khorly New Year Strike Leaves Dozens Dead At the stroke of midnight on December 31 2025, three Ukrainian drones struck a café and a hotel in the Black Sea resort of Khorly, Kherson, igniting an incendiary blaze that killed at least 24 people and injured more than 50 according to Russian‑installed governor Vladimir Saldo and corroborated by multiple outlets [2][3][4]. Independent verification of the casualty figures was not possible, and Kyiv offered no comment, while Moscow labeled the attack a war crime [3]. The incident coincided with New Year celebrations, amplifying civilian impact.
Russia Claims Massive Drone Interceptions Amid Conflicting Numbers The Russian Defence Ministry announced that air‑defence systems shot down 168 Ukrainian drones overnight, detailing regional breakdowns across Bryansk, Krasnodar, Tula, Crimea, Moscow, Kaluga and the Sea of Azov [3][4]. Earlier on December 31, the ministry reported only 27 Ukrainian drones destroyed in a three‑hour window, including 21 over the Moscow region, highlighting a stark discrepancy in reported interception totals [5]. Both statements underscore the intensity of aerial activity but differ sharply in scale.
Peace Negotiations Accelerate Despite Violence President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a New Year address that a peace deal was 90 percent ready, warning that remaining territorial issues would determine its fate [2]. He also confirmed that Ukraine had shared all negotiation documents with 18 national‑security advisers from allied nations [1]. European advisers arrived in Kyiv to discuss security guarantees and economic support, signaling a coordinated diplomatic push as hostilities continue [1].
Moscow’s Unverified Claim on Putin Residence Rejected The Russian Defence Ministry asserted that navigation data linked a Ukrainian drone to an attempted strike on President Vladimir Putin’s residence, though no evidence was provided and independent verification was lacking [2][3]. Kyiv dismissed the allegation as a falsehood intended to derail the peace process [2][3]. The claim remains unsubstantiated amid broader accusations and counter‑accusations surrounding the New Year drone campaign.
Sources
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1.
AP: Drone Strikes Kill Two in Russian Border Regions Ahead of Paris Peace Talks – Details the Jan 4 killings in Belgorod and Kursk, Kharkiv missile deaths, and diplomatic activity surrounding upcoming Paris negotiations .
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2.
AP: Ukrainian Drone Strike Kills 24 in Khorly as Tensions Rise Amid Peace Talks – Reports the Khorly New Year attack, casualty figures, and Zelensky’s statement on peace‑deal readiness, noting lack of independent verification .
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3.
Newsweek: Kherson Drone Attack Kills 24 as Russia Calls It War Crime – Covers the same Khorly strike, adds Moscow’s war‑crime label, and includes Russia’s claim of 168 drones shot down overnight .
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4.
The Hindu: Ukrainian Drone Strike Kills 24 in Kherson During New Year Celebrations – Provides a timeline of the Khorly attack, casualty numbers, and Russia’s 168‑drone interception report .
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5.
The Hindu: Ukraine Drones Target Moscow as Russia Says 27 Drones Downed, One Civilian Injured – Describes the Dec 31 attacks on Moscow, the claim of 27 drones destroyed, and Kyiv’s denial of a strike on Putin’s residence .
Timeline
Feb 2022 – Russia launches a full‑scale invasion of Ukraine, initiating a war that fuels a relentless cycle of aerial attacks and diplomatic efforts throughout 2025‑2026 [historical context].
Dec 31 2025 – Ukraine fires drones at Moscow and western Russia, injuring one civilian; Russian officials say 27 drones are shot down, including 21 over the Moscow region [5].
At the same time, three Ukrainian UAVs strike a cafe and hotel in the Black Sea resort of Khorly, Kherson, killing 24 people (including a child) and wounding more than 50 as New Year celebrations begin; Kherson governor Volodymyr Saldo posts on Telegram that the attack occurs “just before midnight” and that one drone carries an incendiary mixture [4].
Jan 1 2026 – Russia’s defence ministry reports intercepting and destroying 168 Ukrainian drones overnight across Bryansk, Krasnodar, Tula, Crimea, Moscow region, Kaluga and the Sea of Azov, illustrating the scale of the aerial campaign [1][4].
Moscow labels the Khorly strike a war crime and accuses Kyiv of targeting President Putin’s residence, a claim Kyiv dismisses as false [1][3].
Ukrainian forces claim overnight hits on Russian oil infrastructure in Krasnodar and Tatarstan, igniting a fire at the Ilski refinery and striking a Shahed‑drone storage site near Donetsk, a Tor‑M2 system near Shevchenko and a fuel depot near Ilovaisk [1].
The Belgorod region reports more than 80 drones hitting residential districts, causing at least one death and multiple injuries [1].
Jan 2 2026 – Vladimir Saldo reiterates that three drones hit Khorly, one carrying an incendiary device, and calls the attack a deliberate assault on civilians celebrating the New Year [3].
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a New Year address, states that “90 % of the peace agreement is ready, but the remaining 10 % – especially territorial issues – will decide the outcome” [3].
Former U.S. real‑estate developer Steve Witkoff, alongside Marco Rubio and Jared Kushner, discusses advancing the European peace process with British, French, German and Ukrainian security advisers [3].
Jan 4 2026 – Ukrainian drones kill one person and wound a child in a car in Belgorod and kill another person in a village in Kursk, underscoring the heightened violence ahead of diplomatic talks [2].
Three people are wounded by drone strikes in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, and a separate Russian missile attack on Kharkiv raises the death toll there to five [2].
European national‑security advisers travel to Kyiv to negotiate security guarantees and economic support as part of a U.S.–led push for a settlement [2].
Zelenskyy says peace proposals could be accelerated and confirms that Ukraine has shared all discussion documents with the 18 advisers, preparing for an imminent trip to Paris [2].
Late Jan 2026 (planned) – Paris peace talks are scheduled to convene, bringing together Ukrainian, Russian and international delegations to negotiate an end to the conflict; Zelenskyy’s upcoming visit to Paris aims to solidify security guarantees and finalize the remaining 10 % of the peace framework [2].