The world has once again witnessed the brutal reality of war in Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelensky shared a harrowing video of a Russian drone attack on a civilian. The footage, which has sparked international outrage, shows a street vendor being pursued and attacked by a remotely-operated drone in the Kherson region.
The incident, described as a ‘human safari’ attack, is part of a disturbing pattern of Russian forces targeting civilians in front-line areas. The video, which was geolocated to a market space beside a roundabout in the Tavriiskyi district in northern Kherson, shows the drone chasing the vendor before exploding on impact. The man, identified as Yuriy, a 52-year-old street vegetable vendor, survived the attack with multiple shrapnel wounds, concussion, and trauma.
The Chilling Details of the Drone Attack
Yuriy recounted the terrifying moments leading up to the attack. He and his wife were setting up their vegetable stall when they heard a distinctive buzzing sound overhead. As his wife ran away, the drone turned its focus to Yuriy. In a desperate attempt to show he was not a threat, Yuriy held up some heads of garlic towards the drone’s camera, revealing the tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants laid out on the floor. The drone even ducked under an umbrella as Yuriy tried to escape.
The video, which was first shared by a pro-Ukrainian Instagram account on Tuesday morning, has been verified by BBC Verify. It provides a stark reminder of the dangers faced by civilians in conflict zones. The footage also highlights the psychological terror inflicted by these ‘human safari’ attacks, where drones are used to hunt down and kill civilians.
The International Response and Condemnation
President Zelensky, who shared the video on his Telegram channel, urged the world to take notice of the atrocities being committed. ‘The world must see this,’ he wrote. ‘It must see every piece of evidence that Russia has gone mad, and every fact that Russian soldiers are enjoying killings and tormenting people.’
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the attack as a ‘barbaric war crime’ and a ‘deliberate and systemic Russian strategy.’ He emphasized that the sadist operating the drone knew full well that he was targeting a civilian. Sybiha demanded international condemnation of what he described as a deliberate Russian campaign to intimidate civilians.
The Kherson regional governor also shared a video of Yuriy speaking from his hospital bed, providing a firsthand account of the attack. Yuriy’s testimony underscores the human cost of these drone attacks and the need for international intervention to protect civilians.
The Broader Context of Drone Attacks in Ukraine
‘Human safari’ attacks have been a recurring tactic used by Russian troops in the Kherson region, which sits only a few miles from the front line. A 2026 UN report found that Russian armed forces have ‘recurrently killed and injured civilians’ in the area by using drones to target them. The videos filmed by the drones before they explode on their targets are often posted online, allowing thousands to witness the last moments of the terrified victims.
The UN report also highlighted that posting videos of civilians being killed and injured amounts to the war crime of outrages upon personal dignity. This practice not only causes immediate harm but also inflicts long-term psychological trauma on the survivors and the broader community.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in and continues to deny targeting civilians. However, the mounting evidence and international condemnation paint a different picture, one of a conflict marked by brutal tactics and a disregard for human life.
