Russian Drone Chases and Attacks Vegetable Vendor in Kherson: Ukraine Denounces War Crime

04/08/2026 14:12 Internacionales

Impactante 'safari' ruso: un dron persigue y ataca a un vendedor en Jersón

On August 4, 2026, a shocking video emerged showing a Russian FPV drone pursuing a 52-year-old vegetable vendor in Kherson, Ukraine, before detonating on him. The man survived with shrapnel wounds and a concussion, but the attack has reignited international alarm over the rising toll on civilians in the conflict.

A Deadly 'Safari' on the Streets of Kherson

Ukrainian authorities released a chilling video showing a Russian drone chasing a civilian before exploding. The attack occurred on August 4, 2026 in the southern city of Kherson, a frequent target of Russian forces since its liberation in late 2022.

What is an FPV drone? An FPV (First Person View) drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle piloted in real time via a camera feed, allowing the operator to see exactly what the drone sees. These are often used for precision strikes, but their use against civilians is considered a war crime under international humanitarian law.

According to reports from LA NACION and Conclusión, the victim was identified as Iuri, a 52-year-old vegetable seller. In the footage, he is seen running around his van trying to escape the drone, which eventually detonates its explosive payload against him.

Survivor's Testimony

Regional governor Olexander Prokudin shared a video from the hospital where Iuri is recovering. The vendor recounted that he had just started setting up his vegetables with his wife when they heard the drone's buzz. He tried to show the operator he was unarmed, but the device attacked anyway, causing shrapnel injuries and a concussion.

Kyiv's Condemnation

President Volodymyr Zelensky called the incident part of Russian 'safaris' against civilians. 'The Russians have admitted this crime, showing zero remorse and openly boasting about tormenting people,' he said on social media.

Systematic War Crime

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated it is a 'deliberate and systemic Russian strategy,' denouncing that 'thousands of similar crimes never become public' and calling for increased international pressure on Moscow.

A Growing Humanitarian Crisis

Kherson, which before the war had about 280,000 residents, was under Russian occupation from March to November 2022. Today, Russian forces regularly shell the city from the opposite bank of the Dnieper River.

This attack is part of a worrying rise in civilian casualties. According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, in the first six months of 2026, there were 1,396 civilians killed and 7,978 wounded — a 37% increase compared to the same period in 2025.

Region	Recent Incidents (August 2026)
Kherson	Russian drone attacks 52-year-old vendor.
Sumy	Nighttime bombings kill two children (ages 5 and 10) and an elderly woman.

Meanwhile, Russia also accuses Ukraine of deliberately targeting civilians, citing a recent incident on a beach in the Black Sea resort of Gelendzhik that left several dead and wounded. Both sides deny intentionally attacking civilians, but the ground reality shows a mounting human cost.