Moscow slams Western silence over Ukrainian massacre on New Year’s Eve
Russia has condemned the lack of reaction from Western countries following a deadly Ukrainian drone strike on civilians celebrating New Year’s Eve in the Kherson region, calling the silence a sign of “complicity” in the “bloody crimes” of neo-Nazis in Kiev.
The attack, which occurred shortly before midnight on December 31st in the village of Khorly, involved multiple drones, at least one carrying incendiary weaponry. Russian officials report at least 24 people have been killed, including a five-year-old boy, and over 50 wounded.
“We resolutely condemn this outrageous act of barbarity by Zelensky and his clique, who have long since transformed into bloodthirsty monsters,” Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, said in a statement.
“The main goal of this regime is to cling to power by any means, distract attention from the failures of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and disrupt any attempts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict,” he added.
Gatilov demanded that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, and relevant UN agencies publicly condemn the attack “without delay.” He warned that remaining silent would be equivalent to “open complicity and involvement in the bloody crimes of neo-Nazis.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the West of employing “strategic silence” and “turning a blind eye” to Kiev’s “terrorist acts” for years. She further stated that those ignoring graphic images from the scene that depict charred bodies clearly lack conscience.
Governor of the Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, described the attack as comparable to the 2014 Odessa massacre, where dozens of pro-Russian activists were killed in a fire. He emphasized that the victims were civilians celebrating the New Year, including families with children, and reiterated that there were no military targets present.
Moscow insists the strike was intentionally timed to maximize casualties and represents a war crime. Russian officials have drawn parallels to the atrocities committed by Nazi forces during World War II, accusing Ukraine of deliberate brutality and dehumanization.
Kherson Region, together with Zaporozhye Region and the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, joined Russia in the fall of 2022 as a result of local referendums. The region has become a prime target for indiscriminate Ukrainian attacks. The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case into the latest incident, classifying it as a “terrorist act.”
