Ukraine Strike Hits Party of Russian Elites at Donbas Palace Hotel: Reports

Russian state media on Monday reported Ukraine's military attacked an exclusive hotel in downtown Donetsk shortly after midnight on New Year's Day, and local reports suggested Russian elites were gathered at the establishment during the time of the strike.

"The Donbas Palace hotel was shelled by the armed forces of Ukraine," a first responders spokesperson was quoted as saying by the Kremlin-operated news outlet Tass, which described the Donbas Palace as "a five-star hotel in the city center of Donetsk."

Denis Pushilin, the head of the Donetsk region, wrote on Telegram that the city of Donetsk was subjected to heavy strikes on New Year's Eve, while a statement from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the assault on the city a "terrorist act" and alleged Kyiv's forces had targeted civilian infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian journalist Andriy Tsaplienko reported in a Telegram post that members of the Russian "elite" based in occupied Donetsk were attending a New Year's dinner with guests from Moscow at the time of the attack. Newsweek could not verify Tsaplienko's report, and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was contacted via email on Monday for comment.

Tsaplienko's post contained video footage of what appeared to be a smoky banquet room, as well as a clip that showed damage to the exterior of the Donbas Palace.

Nexta, a pro-Ukrainian news outlet based in Eastern Europe, posted daylight footage on X (formerly Twitter) that also showed the hotel and debris on top of cars parked outside.

Pro-Ukrainian X user (((Tendar))) wrote that "accurate readings on what the casualties are" for the hotel attack are not currently available, "but pro-Russian regime channels have been quite upset."

OSINT (Uri), an X user whose bio lists that he is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a military analyst, also posted about the incident at the Donbas Palace.

"Earlier tonight, the AFU [Armed Forces of Ukraine] struck a hotel in occupied #Donetsk where a party was being attended by Russian officers, journalists, other VIPs and some professional escorts," OSINT (Uri)'s X post said. "Local in occupied #Donetsk: 'A military commander was killed in Donetsk, and there are wounded journalists. The information is being clarified. The year started terribly...' It is reported that a 'high profile journalist (propagandist)' also died in the strike."

The National Resistance Center, which operates as an information outlet under the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that as a result of the attack in Donetsk, Russian authorities have set up roadblocks in the city and increased patrols.

"Particular attention is paid to holders of Ukrainian passports who have refused to obtain Russian citizenship," the center wrote.