Russia accused Ukraine of killing 27 people in a drone strike during a New Year's party in the occupied southern Kherson region. Vladimir Saldo, the Russia-installed regional governor, said over 30 people were injured in the attack in the village of Khorly on the Black Sea coast. He added that three drones struck a cafe and hotel there. Ukraine declined to directly respond to claims from occupied region officials but emphasized it follows international humanitarian law and targets only military sites. A Ukrainian defense source told AFP the strike targeted a military gathering closed to civilians. Russian photos show heavy damage to a hotel and cafe, identified as the former Ukrainian House, now known as Buganova's Cafe, with one image showing a body covered by a sheet. Saldo said he informed President Vladimir Putin about the strike. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said it is aware of the claims and will verify them for future reports. Russia's Investigative Committee has launched an inquiry, while the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Ukrainian President Zelensky of trying to intimidate residents in the Russian-annexed Kherson region. Moscow controls over half of Kherson, annexed after a 2022 referendum dismissed by Ukraine and allies as a sham. This attack comes amid ongoing diplomatic talks to end the war. Zelensky said a US-brokered deal with Russia was 90% ready. Earlier, Russia accused Ukraine of a drone attack near Putin's residence, which Ukraine denied. Ukraine's foreign intelligence warned that Russia plans large-scale provocations to harm civilians and disrupt peace talks.