Shortly before noon one day, Serhiy Dobrovolsky, a tool merchant, returned home to Kherson in southern Ukraine. He entered his yard, lit a cigarette, and chatted with his neighbor. Suddenly, they heard the buzzing sound of a drone overhead.
Angela, Serhiy’s 32-year-old wife, recounts how she saw her husband running and hiding as the drone dropped grenades.
“He died before the ambulance arrived. They told me it was unfortunate because the shrapnel pierced his heart,” she says, visibly distraught.
Russians Killed 30 Civilians with Drones
Serhiy is one of 30 civilians killed in Russian drone strikes in Kherson since July 1, according to the city’s military administration, as reported by the BBC. They recorded over 5,000 drone attacks during the same period, with more than 400 civilians injured. Ukrainians refer to this practice as a “human safari.”
Drones have transformed warfare in Ukraine, with both Ukraine and Russia using them against military targets. However, the BBC has heard eyewitness accounts and seen credible evidence that Russia is using drones against civilians in the frontline city of Kherson.
“They can clearly see who they are killing,” Angela states, adding, “Do they want to fight like this, by dropping bombs on people walking down the street?”
If it is established that Russia is deliberately targeting civilians, it would constitute a war crime. The Russian military did not respond to the BBC’s inquiries regarding the allegations. Since the beginning of the invasion in February 2022, Russia has consistently denied deliberately targeting civilians.
Numerous Records Document the Disturbing “Human Safari”
Evidence of apparent drone attacks on civilians can be seen in numerous videos circulated on Ukrainian and Russian social media, six of which have been reviewed by BBC Verify, a fact-checking initiative.
Each video offers a view from a remote operator’s camera tracking the movements of pedestrians or drivers in civilian clothing, often dropping grenades that seem to severely injure or kill their targets.
Russian Channel Labels Ukrainians as “Pigs”
BBC Verify was also able to identify the Russian Telegram channel where five of the six analyzed videos were first published. Each was posted with comments praising and encouraging drone bombardments of civilians, including claims that all vehicles are legitimate targets and urging people to minimize their movements. The victims are also derided and called “pigs.”
The channel that posted some of these videos has also shared images of packaged and unpackaged drones, along with other equipment, thanking people for their donations.
