Civilians Under Siege: Russian Drones Target Kherson Residents in Wave of Deadly Attacks
In Kherson, a city on Ukraine’s southern frontline, a surge in Russian drone strikes has left civilians constantly on edge. Serhiy Dobrovolsky, a hardware store owner, had returned home one afternoon to unwind in his yard. As he chatted with a neighbor, a drone buzzed overhead and dropped a grenade. Tragically, Serhiy’s life ended before help could arrive; a piece of shrapnel fatally pierced his heart. “They saw him, and they killed him,” says his wife, Angela, overwhelmed with grief. Serhiy is one of 30 civilians killed in a recent escalation of Russian drone attacks, Kherson’s military administration reports. Since July 1st, over 5,000 drone strikes have targeted the region, leaving more than 400 civilians injured.
Once primarily aimed at military objectives, drones are now allegedly being used to terrorize the civilian population in Kherson. Eyewitnesses and video evidence reviewed by BBC journalists suggest that drones are tracking and targeting civilians. “They can see who they’re killing,” Angela remarked, expressing frustration over the seemingly indiscriminate attacks.
If confirmed, deliberate attacks on civilians could constitute a war crime. Russia has yet to address these allegations, maintaining that it does not target civilians despite evidence suggesting otherwise.
Footage circulating on social media, reviewed by BBC’s verification team, reveals disturbing scenes captured from the perspective of drone operators. In these videos, pedestrians and motorists, visibly unarmed and in civilian attire, are tracked and bombarded. Some of the videos have been shared on a Telegram channel with taunts directed at the Ukrainian public. The posts go so far as to label all vehicles as fair targets and mock injured civilians. The channel, which also shows drones and other military equipment, attributes its funding to donors.
The relentless drone activity has transformed daily life in Kherson into a nightmare. “You feel hunted. At any moment, a drone could drop explosives on you,” says Kristina Synia, who works at an aid center near the Dnipro River. Navigating the city has become a calculated ordeal; locals often resort to running from one tree to the next or using high-speed maneuvers to avoid detection. A small device in Kristina’s office confirms the constant danger, buzzing every few minutes to alert her of nearby drones.
Fear has immobilized many residents, who leave their homes only to obtain essentials. Valentyna Mykolaivna, another resident, describes her terror: “They bomb public buses and drop explosives on us daily. We move under trees to avoid detection.”
The drones have changed the nature of warfare, making civilians feel more vulnerable than they did under traditional artillery shelling. Olena Kryvchun, a cleaner, narrowly escaped a drone strike when her car was bombed while parked. “Do I look like a military target?” she asks, devastated by the loss of her essential vehicle, which she cannot afford to repair.
Drone attacks, locals say, are uniquely terrifying because they’re nearly silent, fast, and precise. Ben Dusing, an aid center operator, notes the psychological toll these strikes inflict, immobilizing people and spreading a pervasive fear. “If a drone locks on you, there’s no escape,” he says.
Adding to the danger, Russian forces have reportedly used drones to drop anti-personnel mines on roads and pathways. Kherson’s administration has identified butterfly mines, small devices that glide to the ground and blend into their surroundings. These mines, often camouflaged with leaves, are designed to detonate upon contact.
As winter nears, residents fear that drone threats will escalate. “Once the trees lose their leaves, there will be nowhere to hide,” says Olena, dreading the season’s vulnerability.
BBC’s verification process traced several of the drone videos to specific locations in Kherson, matching unique landmarks to confirm where each incident occurred. The team cross-referenced timestamps and weather conditions, finding that videos were posted within hours of the attacks on a Telegram channel.