Newly surfaced video footage appears to show Russian forces using FPV (first-person view) drones in what has been described as a "human safari" campaign, deliberately targeting civilians in Ukraine. One video, reportedly filmed in Sumy in northeastern Ukraine, shows a drone pursuing a man before exploding near him. Another drone is seen directly hitting a second civilian who was attempting to take cover.
Former deputy minister at the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Anton Gerashchenko, condemned the actions on X, stating, "A Russian FPV drone deliberately attacks a civilian person in the street. Russian human safari is spreading. Russia's war crimes are mounting up."
This alleged campaign involves the use of remotely operated drones against civilians in an attempt to terrorize residents on Ukraine's frontlines. Similar footage from Kherson, southern Ukraine, reportedly shows a drone relentlessly pursuing a civilian market seller before detonating. Ukrainian authorities confirmed the man survived the Kherson attack, sustaining blast injuries, shrapnel wounds, and concussion, with an expected recovery.
The use of such drones comes amid a period of intense strikes between Russia and Ukraine. On Wednesday, Russian attacks on Kyiv and its surrounding region killed 17 people and wounded dozens, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. He stated that Ukraine's air defenses were unable to stop Moscow's incoming missiles during the roughly two-hour barrage.
Ukraine is experiencing a critical shortage of interceptors for U.S.-made Patriot systems, the primary defense against ballistic missiles. Zelensky has appealed to international partners, particularly the U.S., for more ammunition, and has also explored options for domestic production or utilizing Starlink satellite communication systems for guiding strikes within Russia. He noted that supplies of defensive missiles have fallen significantly, and delays in providing anti-ballistic systems directly contribute to casualties.
Separately, leaders from Poland and three Baltic states have expressed concerns that Russia may be planning a "false flag" strike on the Baltic region using Ukrainian-made drones. They fear such an operation could be intended to shift the focus of the war and reduce international support for Ukraine. Lithuania's defense minister stated that the goal would be to cause NATO to waver in its support for Ukraine, asserting that "this will not happen." A "false flag" operation is defined as an event or attack where the perpetrator is not the actual initiator. These warnings follow Lithuania's president's announcement in July regarding heightened security measures due to intelligence suggesting Russia was planning a targeted attack on critical infrastructure. Moscow has previously dismissed such claims as "scare stories."