Ukraine accused Russia of a war crime on August 4 after a drone pursued and wounded a vegetable seller in the southern city of Kherson, bordering the Black Sea.
“Today, many were shocked by yet another video of the drone ‘safari’ Russians are carrying out against civilians in Kherson. A Russian drone deliberately hunted down a man selling vegetables and detonated right next to him,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on X.
“The Russians even admitted to the crime, showing zero regret and openly boasting about tormenting people. The man was wounded in the blast. Every single day, ordinary people in Kherson face these Russians ‘safaris’,” he added.
Ukrainian authorities released footage showing the drone circling his van before exploding beside him.
The attack renewed concern over repeated drone strikes against civilians in the frontline southern city.
Drone pursues vendor through Kherson market
As the 52-year-old vendor, later identified by Ukrainian officials as Yurii, prepared to sell vegetables near an open market, footage shows him moving around the van while the low-flying drone followed his attempts to escape. He then dived behind the vehicle moments before the device detonated.
“If is open steppe. There is nowhere to go,” he said from his hospital bed, as reported by Reuters.
“I only just put up the umbrella and started unloading the boxes. My wife was there, too. Then we heard it buzzing but could not even see it.”
The blast knocked Yurii down and caused a concussion, shock and several shrapnel wounds. Doctors treated injuries on his legs and back after emergency teams moved him to hospital.
His wife escaped without injuries after leaving the area during the pursuit.
Reuters verified the location through matching buildings, roads, vegetation, and available archive imagery. However, the agency could not independently confirm the exact recording date. Ukrainian police and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the attack happened on Tuesday.
An appeal for international action
Sybiha accused the Russian drone operator of knowingly targeting a civilian and described the strike as deliberate intimidation.
“This is a deliberate and systemic Russian strategy. They know exactly what they are doing. The sadist operating this drone knows full well that he is targeting a civilian,” the minister said on X.
He furthermore urged foreign governments to condemn the attack and support stronger measures against Moscow.
“A lasting peace requires comprehensive justice for such horrific crimes, a powerful defense and deterrence package for Ukraine, and reliable, guaranteed security for our people,” Sybiha stated.
Russia’s Defence Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
President Zelenskyy also urged partners to increase defensive support and force Moscow toward peace. “The world must see this,” he said, “it must see every piece of evidence that Russia has gone mad and that its soldiers take pleasure in killing and abusing civilians.”
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly reported small drones attacking pedestrians, vehicles, emergency workers, and public transport in Kherson. Residents have described the threat as a human safari because operators allegedly pursue visible civilians.
Moscow, meanwhile, has denied targeting civilians and says Russian forces strike military targets and supporting infrastructure.
While European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has not commented on this specific case, she announced on August 1 that Ukraine joined the Civil Protection Mechanism as a provider of assistance.
“Every day, Ukraine shows it belongs in our Union,” she said after Ukraine dispatched a 70-member firefighting squad to battle France’s ongoing wildfires.
Civilian casualties continue rising
The Kherson attack followed wider Russian missile, drone, and guided bomb strikes across Ukraine. Regional officials said overnight guided aerial bombs killed two children and an elderly woman in the country’s northern city of Sumy on August 4.
Ukrainian authorities also reported damage to homes and civilian infrastructure during recent attacks.
The United Nations recorded 1,396 civilian deaths and 7,978 injured in the Russia-Ukraine war during the first six months of 2026. That total represented a 37% increase compared with the same period in 2025, with the mission linking the rise to intensified long-range attacks against cities beyond frontlines.
Ukraine also launched drones and missiles against targets within Russia during the continuing war. Russian officials claim some Ukrainian attacks have killed civilians, including seven people – three of which were children – in its southwestern city of Gelendzhik on Monday.
Both governments deny deliberately targeting civilians since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Featured image: Volodymyr Zelenskyy via X.
