A shocking new video has emerged documenting what human rights observers are calling a targeted ‘human safari’ drone attack, in which a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) tracked and chased an unarmed Ukrainian vegetable street vendor through populated areas of the Kherson region before detonating. The amateur footage, which has circulated widely across regional media platforms, captures the full sequence of the incident: the small, low-flying drone closes in on the vendor as he flees along a public street, continuing its pursuit before a final explosion at the end of the sequence.
The attack has drawn renewed condemnation from international analysts who highlight that the targeting of unarmed civilian civilians in conflict zones violates international humanitarian law. The Kherson region, which has faced consistent cross-border shelling and drone strikes since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has seen a sharp uptick in attacks targeting civilian infrastructure and individuals in recent months. Local officials confirmed that the vendor was the sole target of the drone strike, framing the incident as part of a broader pattern of what they describe as random lethal targeting of civilians for intimidation purposes, a tactic colloquially labeled ‘human safaris’ by local communities.
Rights groups note that this incident adds to a growing list of documented attacks on non-combatants in southern Ukraine, raising further questions about compliance with the Geneva Conventions governing armed conflict. As of the latest update, details on the vendor’s condition have not been released, but the video evidence confirms the intentional targeting of an unarmed civilian going about their daily livelihood.