A harrowing incident in southern Ukraine has drawn international attention after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky shared a video depicting a Russian drone pursuing a street vendor, an act he described as part of a grotesque “safari” strategy employed against civilians. The footage, which has sparked outrage and condemnation, illustrates the alarming tactics being used in the ongoing conflict.
The Disturbing Incident
The video, which has circulated widely on social media, captures a drone relentlessly chasing down a 52-year-old vegetable seller, identified as Yuriy, in the Kherson region. As the drone hovers ominously above, Yuriy attempts to evade its grasp, darting around a parked white van. In a terrifying climax, the drone descends and detonates upon impact, leaving Yuriy with multiple shrapnel wounds and a concussion, according to medical reports.
Zelensky emphasised the importance of public awareness regarding such incidents, asserting, “The world must see this. It must see every piece of evidence that Russia has gone mad, and every fact that Russian soldiers are enjoying killings and tormenting people.” This sentiment was echoed by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, who labelled the drone assault a “barbaric war crime” and characterised the attacks as a calculated strategy aimed at instilling fear among the civilian population.
A Pattern of Violence
The Kherson regional governor released a subsequent video featuring Yuriy, who recounted the harrowing moments leading up to the attack. He revealed that he and his wife had just begun to set out crates of vegetables when he heard the drone’s distinctive buzzing sound. As his wife fled the scene, the drone shifted its focus to him. “I held up some heads of garlic towards the drone’s camera,” Yuriy recounted, “to show the operator that I was not a threat.” His description of the drone’s actions, including its manoeuvre under an umbrella as he attempted to escape, underscores the chilling nature of the attack.
The video has been geolocated by BBC Verify to a market area near a roundabout in the Tavriiskyi district of northern Kherson. While the identity of the individual who filmed the attack remains unclear, it was first shared by a pro-Ukrainian account on social media, further amplifying its reach and impact.
International Condemnation
The use of drones in this manner is not an isolated occurrence; reports indicate that such “safari” attacks have been systematically carried out by Russian forces in the Kherson region, which lies perilously close to the front lines of conflict. A UN report from 2025 highlighted that Russian military operations had repeatedly resulted in civilian casualties through drone strikes. The practice of broadcasting these horrific moments online allows a global audience to witness the plight of those targeted, raising serious ethical concerns.
