Ukraine’s National Police have released drone footage that appears to show a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle deliberately tracking and striking a civilian at an open-air market in the southern city of Kherson. The video, posted on Telegram on Tuesday, has been cited by Ukrainian authorities as further evidence of what they describe as systematic attacks on non-combatants.
In the footage, a man is seen standing beside a stall laden with fruit and vegetables. The drone hovers, then descends and detonates close to him. Police said the 52-year-old vendor survived but sustained blast injuries, shrapnel wounds, and a concussion. “This is exactly how the Russians are fighting their war — they deliberately target civilians,” the police statement read. “The man shows no signs of being a combatant, he is simply selling vegetables and fruit at the market. However, for the armed forces of the aggressor country, he is still a target.”
Law enforcement agencies said they are documenting the incident as “yet another war crime” committed by Russian forces in the region.
Zelenskyy condemns ‘drone safari’
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to the video in his nightly address, describing it as a stark illustration of Russia’s tactics. “A Russian drone deliberately hunted down a man selling vegetables and detonated right next to him,” he said. He accused Moscow’s forces of showing “zero regret” and even boasting about the attack, adding that they had “even admitted to the crime.”
Zelenskyy urged the international community to take note of the evidence and to step up pressure on Russia, including stronger security guarantees for Ukraine and measures to curb its capacity to wage war. His remarks come amid a broader pattern of drone strikes against civilians, vehicles, public transport, and emergency workers in Kherson, which police say occur almost daily.
The human toll in the region remains severe. According to Ukrainian officials, 18 civilians were injured and two killed in Kherson region on Sunday alone. The city of Kherson, located on the right bank of the Dnipro River, sits in close proximity to Russian-occupied territory on the opposite bank, leaving it exposed to constant attacks. Ukrainian air defences are stretched, and the city has become a testing ground for Russia’s evolving drone tactics.
The incident has also drawn attention to the wider use of drones in the conflict. In recent weeks, Ukraine's drone campaign has targeted Russian logistics, while Moscow has reported its own drone-related incidents, including a deadly attack in the Moscow region. The Kherson video, however, underscores the asymmetric threat faced by civilians in frontline areas.
International observers have repeatedly documented Russia’s use of drones against civilian infrastructure and individuals. The United Nations and human rights groups have called for accountability, but prosecutions remain elusive. The footage from Kherson adds to a growing body of evidence that could be used in future war crimes tribunals.
For residents of Kherson, the threat is a daily reality. Many have adapted by stringing anti-drone nets over streets and marketplaces, a makeshift defence that offers limited protection. The city’s proximity to the front line means that even routine activities like shopping for food carry mortal risk.
As the war enters another winter, the pattern of attacks shows no sign of abating. Ukrainian officials continue to plead for more air defence systems and longer-range weapons to push Russian forces back from the river’s edge. Until then, civilians in Kherson remain exposed to what Zelenskyy has called a “drone safari” — a chilling term that captures the deliberate, predatory nature of these strikes.
