Ukraine Slams Russian Drone 'Safari' Against Civilians

Ukraine has voiced strong condemnation over a video depicting a Russian drone allegedly pursuing and injuring a civilian in the southern city of Kherson. Ukrainian authorities denounced the incident as a deliberate "hunt" and "safari" targeting non-combatants, expressing outrage at what they termed a "barbaric Russian war crime."

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I had only set up the umbrellas and began taking the crates out ... My wife was there too. We heard a buzzing sound.

The footage, which could not be independently verified by AFP, shows a man attempting to shelter behind a vehicle as a first-person view (FPV) drone circles him before detonating. The victim, identified as a 52-year-old vegetable vendor named Yuriy, sustained blast trauma and shrapnel wounds but survived, according to local officials. Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin stated that the man's life is not in danger.

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Today, many were shocked by yet another video of the drone 'safari' Russians are carrying out against civilians in Kherson. The world must see this. It must see every piece of evidence that Russia has gone mad and that its soldiers take pleasure in killing and abusing civilians.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared the video on X, formerly Twitter, calling it evidence of Russia's descent into madness and its soldiers' alleged pleasure in harming civilians. He urged the international community to witness the event and demanded justice. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga echoed these sentiments, calling for international condemnation and emphasizing that the act represents a "deliberate and systemic Russian strategy."

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This incident requires international condemnation and justice. This is a barbaric Russian war crime.

Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets stated that the video illustrates Russia's tactic of "pursuing and killing innocent people," urging the world to watch without looking away. Kherson, a city previously occupied by Russian forces, remains a target of regular strikes, particularly from drones, as the conflict continues with no apparent end in sight. The United Nations has reported an increase in civilian deaths throughout 2026.

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This is a deliberate and systemic Russian strategy ... The sadist operating this drone knows full well that he is targeting a civilian.