Russian Drones Kill 1 on Kherson Bus and Wound 3 as UN Calls Attacks Crimes Against Humanity
Updated
Updated · SBS News · Jun 19
Russian Drones Kill 1 on Kherson Bus and Wound 3 as UN Calls Attacks Crimes Against Humanity
1 articles · Updated · SBS News · Jun 19
Summary
A June 16 drone strike on a passenger bus in Kherson killed one man and hospitalized three others; hours earlier, another drone hit an ambulance in the city.
Around 5,500 drones are now being deployed weekly across the Kherson region—more than double a year ago—as Russian forces across the Dnipro use camera-equipped explosive drones to hunt civilians in what locals call a “human safari.”
The United Nations has labeled the Kherson drone campaign “crimes against humanity of murder,” while Human Rights Watch says Russian drones are also scattering new landmines in residential areas; Moscow says it does not deliberately target civilians.
More than 200 km of anti-drone nets already cover key roads, and Ukraine says it aims to shield 4,000 km by year-end, but repairs and gaps remain vulnerable to attack.
Kherson’s population has fallen from nearly 300,000 before the war to about a quarter of that, even as residents who remain try to preserve daily life under constant threat.
Is Kherson's drone 'kill zone' a grim preview of the future of urban warfare?
With Russian drones full of Western tech, how can sanctions effectively sever this lethal supply chain?
Over 2,500 Civilians Wounded: Russia’s Systematic FPV Drone Terror and Depopulation Strategy in Kherson and Ukraine (2024–2026)
Overview
Since mid-2024, Russia has sharply increased its use of FPV drones in Ukraine, shifting from military targets to deliberate attacks on civilians. This escalation has turned drones into tools of terror, especially in the Kherson region, where a 'human safari' pattern emerged—civilians are systematically targeted in urban areas. Over a year, these attacks have caused heavy casualties, with Kherson city alone suffering 127 deaths and 1,754 wounded, making up a large share of the region’s drone-related losses. The report highlights how this strategy aims to instill fear, force displacement, and inflict lasting harm on Ukrainian communities.