Ukraine accuses Russia of war crime after drone stalks market vendor in Kherson
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Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of a war crime after a video surfaced showing a Russian drone hunting a vendor at a market in Kherson. The 52-year-old man survived the attack but suffered blast trauma, concussion, and shrapnel wounds, the National Police said. Kyiv has condemned the incident as a 'human safari,' ramping up claims of deliberate civilian targeting by Moscow.
The Drone Attack
Ukrainian National Police published a video on Monday that they say depicts a Russian drone stalking and attacking a man selling goods at an outdoor market in Kherson. The 52-year-old victim, who was not identified, survived the strike but sustained blast trauma, concussion, and shrapnel wounds, according to authorities. The footage shows the unmanned aerial vehicle circling the vendor before diving to strike, a sequence that RFE/RL described as consistent with a 'human safari' tactic. Kherson, a southern city liberated by Ukraine in late 2022, has faced relentless shelling and drone attacks as Russian forces remain entrenched across the Dnipro River.
War Crime Accusation
Kyiv swiftly condemned the attack as a war crime, with the Prosecutor General’s Office opening an investigation into the incident. Reuters reported that Ukrainian officials label the deliberate targeting of a civilian a grave breach of international humanitarian law. President Volodymyr Zelensky’s administration called the drone hunt part of a pattern of terror against civilians, with similar strikes having killed at least 47 people in the Kherson region this year alone. Russia has not immediately commented on the allegation but has consistently denied targeting civilians throughout the 29-month conflict.
What's Next
Ukrainian prosecutors are expected to compile evidence for submission to the International Criminal Court, though experts caution that proving specific intent in drone strikes remains a significant legal challenge. It remains unclear whether the ICC will open a formal investigation into this case, as Russian officials continue to reject the court’s jurisdiction.
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Ukraine accuses Russia of war crime after drone stalks market vendor in Kherson
