Russia’s Human Safari in Kherson Deemed War Crime
Russian drones hit the home of a young couple near the Dnipro River in Kherson, a city in southern Ukraine, on a bright November afternoon.
Anastasia was in the kitchen, holding her Chihuahua puppy wrapped in a coat, when the first drone struck the roof. Shrapnel got stuck in the dog’s body, killing it and saving Anastasia.
Her husband and a neighbor were extinguishing the fire when a second drone flew through the hole in the roof and exploded inside. Both husband and wife sustained concussions, partial hearing loss, and psychological trauma. Later that night, after they fled, a third drone destroyed their home.
There were no military targets in the area.
Their case is one of many included in the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report published on June 2, 2025 and closely following the recent investigation by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry (UN).
Since the summer of 2024, Russian forces have intensified drone attacks on Ukraine’s southern Kherson region, killing at least 150 civilians and injuring hundreds more, according to the UN report, published on May 28, 2025. Two independent reports confirm that these attacks are deliberate, systematic, and unlawful, and are a part of a drone warfare campaign that intentionally targets civilians and civilian infrastructure. Both bodies conclude the assaults constitute war crimes and, in some cases, crimes against humanity, including murder, terror, forcible displacement, and the targeting of protected persons and infrastructure such as ambulances.
Mechanics and intent of the drone attacks
The UN Commission and HRW independently verified that Russian forces deployed commercial and military drones from across the Dnipro River in Russian-occupied territory. Operators used live video feeds to identify, track, and strike civilians walking, cycling, driving, or sheltering indoors. Multiple attacks followed the “double tap” pattern: a first strike, followed by a second targeting rescuers and first responders. Much of this footage was later circulated on pro-Russian Telegram channels, often accompanied by mocking captions or threats.
The reports concluded these are not isolated acts but form part of a coordinated policy targeting civilian life. Investigators documented crimes against humanity including murder, terror, and forcible displacement. War crimes identified include attacks against civilians and civilian objects, medical transports, and emergency workers, and the dissemination of degrading footage of the wounded and dead.
Investigators also found clear evidence of Russian state involvement. Resources were allocated, operators trained, and attacks publicly celebrated. There was no evidence of any effort by Russian authorities to prevent or punish these crimes.
A journalist’s account from Kherson
As a war correspondent in Kherson from 2023 to 2025, I witnessed the drone attacks detailed in these reports. I interviewed hundreds of survivors in hospitals and filmed the aftermath of strikes on civilians, homes, and ambulances. While filming fires caused by Russian drones, I had to hide under trees from more drones. During a fatal artillery shelling, a drone followed our crew – there were no military targets nearby.
Every “human safari” attack I’ve documented since July 2024 matches the patterns confirmed by the UN and HRW: first responders targeted during rescue efforts, incendiary weapons and banned mines dropped on residential areas. City workers trim roses in bulletproof vests, equipped with drone detectors. Young mothers are attacked while getting home from work.
The aim is not just to kill but to paralyze civilian life – to empty Kherson without ground troops. The reports confirm what Kherson residents have told me: this is a war on civilians and the goal is to terrorize.
Psychological warfare and forced displacement
The drone strikes are not only physically destructive but serve as tools of psychological warfare. Telegram posts often urged civilians to evacuate, describing the campaign as “hunting” and declaring entire neighborhoods “red zones.” The aim, according to both reports, is to make civilian life in Kherson untenable, thus forcing depopulation through fear. These tactics amount to forcible transfer – a recognized crime against humanity.
Disruption of medical services and public infrastructure
Drone strikes have deliberately targeted ambulances, medical personnel, healthcare facilities, grocery stores, delivery vehicles, and public buses – crippling access to essential services. Both reports verified attacks on medical workers and transport through video and witness accounts, confirming repeated violations of the Geneva Conventions. Reports classify these acts as violations of international humanitarian law, including prohibitions against indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks, and notes the scale and pattern indicate possible crimes against humanity.
Human Rights Watch’s findings reinforce and expand the UN’s conclusions. Covering attacks from May 2024 through early 2025, HRW documented the use of both armed quadcopters and drones equipped with anti-personnel landmines and incendiary weapons. From August through December 2024, drones were used to scatter small plastic anti-personnel landmines in residential areas. These mines, designed to detonate under minimal pressure, contain liquid explosives with toxic properties, further endangering civilians and disrupting emergency response and daily life.
Recommendations for governments and industry
The UN report calls on the Russian Federation to cease all drone attacks against civilians and protected infrastructure, including hospitals and ambulances. It demands accountability at all levels – commanders, operators, and those enabling or inciting the crimes through public channels. The Commission urges the Ukrainian government to expand medical, psychological, housing, and social support for drone attack victims, and asks international donors and organizations to provide financial and technical assistance to Ukraine. All evidence is being made available to national and international judicial bodies for potential prosecution.
Likewise, HRW calls on Russian forces to comply with international law, halt attacks on civilians, cease the use of prohibited weapons, and assist in investigations. It recommends that Ukrainian authorities improve protections for emergency responders and clearly mark any civilian vehicles involved in military use to prevent misidentification. Internationally, HRW urges governments to impose sanctions on implicated Russian commanders, support war crimes prosecutions under universal jurisdiction, back the International Criminal Court’s investigation into Ukraine, and oppose amnesty for serious crimes in any peace negotiations. It calls for support in mine clearance, civilian evacuations, and victim compensation programs. Commercial drone companies are urged to introduce public reporting mechanisms, restrict sales to violators, cooperate with judicial authorities, and contribute to setting norms for lawful drone use.
Together, the UN and HRW reports provided a comprehensive, corroborated body of evidence showing that Russia’s drone war in Kherson is deliberate, coordinated, and criminal under international law. These findings demand immediate international action – not only to protect civilians but to ensure justice for victims and to hold perpetrators accountable.
Russian response
Moscow made no comment on the UN and Human Rights Watch reports labeling prior Russian drone strikes on Kherson as war crimes. However, on June 5, the Russian military launched a massive combined assault on central Kherson, targeting civilian infrastructure – grocery stores, homes, and administrative buildings. The Kherson Regional State Administration building – long vacant but symbolically tied to the city’s defiance and liberation – was destroyed by guided aerial bombs. Occupation officials said Vladimir Putin “closely monitored the situation.”
Source: Zarina Zabrisky