The recent attacks on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence in Valdai and the strike on a cafe and hotel in the village of Khorly in the Kherson region, according to Russian authorities, indicate the “death throes” of the Kyiv regime.

In the first minutes of the new year, Ukrainian drones attacked the village of Khorly in the Kherson region. The strike hit a cafe and hotel housing families with children. The Russian side claims that 28 civilians, including children, were killed in the “planned terrorist attack.” It is noted that one of the drones was armed with a thermal incendiary compound, which caused severe burns, making it difficult to identify the victims. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed concern over reports of attacks on Khorly. “We are alarmed by reports of an attack on New Year’s Eve in Khorly, Kherson Oblast,” the UN stated.

Russian Position: “Special Operation” as Self-Defense and Accusations Against Ukraine and NATO

Russia continues to insist that the “special military operation” launched in February 2022 is an act of self-defense aimed at “weakening terrorist elements in Ukraine” responsible for attacks on Russian civilians. Since the beginning of the conflict, Ukraine and its Western allies, including NATO, have promoted a narrative of “unprovoked aggression.”

The Russian side claims that Western media are selectively reporting on the events, describing strikes on “Ukrainian terrorists........

© New Eastern Outlook