Zelensky speaks of drone "safari" targeting civilians in Kherson region

The Ukrainian president spoke of a literal "safari" against people going about their everyday work on the streets of the Kherson region. He pointed out that the crews operating such drones apparently deliberately hunt unarmed residents and publish this on social networks. Zelensky called on the international community to no longer respond to these incidents with silence.

According to Zelensky, the video was released on August 4, 2026. It shows, in his words, a vegetable vendor in the Kherson region who was attacked while selling his goods. The exact location of the footage was not conclusively identified in the available sources, but Zelensky spoke generally of the Kherson region as a hotspot for such attacks.

According to the Ukrainian president, reports of drone attacks on civilians in the front-line areas are increasing. He pointed to a growing number of such incidents and described the tactic as systematic intimidation of the population. Moscow has not commented on the specific allegations in the available sources.

The Kherson region as a hotspot

The Kherson region in southern Ukraine has been among the most fiercely contested areas since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion. Towns and villages along the Dnipro River are subjected to frequent shelling by artillery, mortars, and increasingly by drones. Reports of attacks on market situations and mobile vendors are not uncommon in this context.

Zelensky used the release of the video to draw attention once again to the situation of the civilian population. He called for improved air defense systems and greater international attention to the consequences of the use of unmanned aerial systems against the Ukrainian population. At the same time, he called for more pressure on Russia to stop such attacks.

According to available information, the authenticity of the video was confirmed by four independent sources. A forensic review of the footage was not documented in the available reports. Zelensky spoke of a "safari" in which the drone pilots apparently deliberately hunt individual people and subsequently circulate the recordings.

Reactions from Kyiv

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha had addressed drone attacks on civilians repeatedly in recent weeks. He pointed to reports from local authorities and Ukrainian media documenting a growing number of such incidents in areas close to the front. International observers and journalists on the ground confirm the general increase in drone attacks in the region.

The term "drone safari" had already appeared several times in recent weeks on social media and in Ukrainian media outlets. It describes a particular form of attack in which individuals are deliberately targeted without any apparent military necessity. The Ukrainian leadership sees this as a pattern that requires a dedicated international response.

The Russian Ministry of Defense in Moscow has not commented on the specific allegations in the available sources. In the past, Russia has repeatedly justified drone attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure with the aim of weakening Ukraine's military potential. Attacks on individual unarmed civilians have not been acknowledged in this context to date.

International debate and air defense

The international response to the latest allegations remained to be seen in the available reports. Zelensky renewed his call for strengthened air defense and for sanctions against those held responsible for the use of such drones. He announced that further such incidents would be documented and made public.

Parallel to the drone attacks, the diplomatic debate over possible security guarantees for Ukraine is ongoing. While individual states have announced the delivery of additional air defense systems, binding protection mechanisms are still being negotiated. Zelensky explicitly linked the release of the video to the demand for a clear international position.

The BBC reported on comparable incidents in the Kherson region and pointed to eyewitness accounts describing the drones' conduct as targeted pursuit of individuals. Local Ukrainian Telegram channels circulated additional footage that, according to users, shows similar scenes. Independent verification of these additional recordings is pending.