In the shadow of what locals grimly call a "human safari," residents of Kherson and surrounding villages navigate daily life under the constant threat of Russian drone attacks that have turned their homeland into a testing ground for warfare technology.
The Unending Terror of Drone Warfare
Olena Horlova, a mother of two from Komyshany village near Kherson, describes living in perpetual fear. Every journey outside her home carries the risk of becoming a target for Russian FPV drones that she believes could be waiting on rooftops, along roads, or specifically aiming for her vehicle.
"We live with the hope that one day this will finally end," Horlova shared, her voice trembling with emotion. "What matters for us is a cease-fire, or for the front line to be pushed further away. Then it would be easier for us."
Her protective measures have become routine yet desperate: her daughters remain indoors while she maintains constant vigilance, sometimes returning home after dark without headlights to avoid detection.
A Strategic Testing Ground for New Warfare
The southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, liberated from Russian occupation in November 2022, has become the unfortunate pioneer in Russia's use of short-range, first-person view (FPV) drones against civilian populations. These drones, equipped with livestreaming cameras that allow operators to select targets in real-time, have spread terror across more than 300 kilometers along the Dnipro River's right bank.
Dmytro Liashok, commander of the 310th Separate Marine Electronic Warfare Battalion protecting 470 kilometers of southern Ukraine, reveals staggering numbers. At least 300 drones fly toward Kherson daily, with October alone seeing approximately 9,000 drones over the city.
"This area is like a training ground," said Liashok, a 16-year military veteran and electronic warfare pioneer. "They bring new Russian crews here to gain experience before sending them elsewhere."
UN Confirms Crimes Against Humanity
The United Nations' Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has left no doubt about the attacks' intent. In their October report, the commission concluded that these systematic attacks constitute crimes against humanity, specifically murder and forcible transfer of civilians.
The report details how Russian units on the occupied left bank of the Dnipro carry out these strikes, with investigators identifying specific drone units, operators, and commanders involved. Adding to the brutality, Russian Telegram channels routinely share attack videos with mocking captions and threats.
According to the UN human rights office, short-range drone attacks have become the leading cause of civilian casualties near front lines. Local authorities report that since July 2024, more than 200 civilians have been killed and over 2,000 wounded across three southern regions, with nearly 3,000 homes damaged or destroyed.
Daily Survival in the Crosshairs
Horlova describes the terrifying tactics employed by drone operators. "When people, cars or even a cyclist appear, the drone suddenly lifts off and drops the explosive," she explained. "It's gotten to the point where they even drop them on animals — cows, goats."
She believes civilians are hunted as "revenge" for the celebrations that erupted when Kherson was liberated in November 2022, about nine months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion on February 24 of that year.
The human cost becomes painfully clear at Kherson's main hospital treating drone victims. Dr. Yevhen Haran, the hospital's deputy medical chief, states unequivocally: "It's simply hunting for people. There's no other name for it."
In just one month, the hospital treated 85 inpatients and 105 outpatients with blast injuries from shelling and drone strikes. The injuries range from amputations to fatal wounds, with the hospital serving as the only facility equipped for the most serious cases in the area.
Personal Encounters with Death from Above
The terror spares no one, not even medical professionals. Dr. Haran himself experienced an FPV drone attack on August 26 while driving from nearby Mykolaiv with his wife. Rescuers warned them about an overhead drone, and moments later, the weapon struck the rescuers' vehicle.
"I pulled in behind them. The drone circled and, on the next pass, flew straight into their vehicle — the driver's door," he recalled. Shrapnel tore through the front car while his vehicle, parked behind, provided accidental protection.
He reached the hospital with a hypertensive crisis and later received treatment for a concussion. "Sometimes I still lose words and feel unsteady," he admitted. "It all happened in less than 10 minutes."
Seventy-year-old Nataliia Naumova represents another civilian casualty, recovering from a blast injury to her left leg after a Shahed drone strike on October 20. The attack occurred as she waited at a school in Inzhenerne village for an evacuation bus.
"There were so many drones flying over us," Naumova remembered. "People there survive, not live. I never thought such a tragedy would happen to me."
International Attention but Limited Relief
During a surprise November visit to Kherson, Angelina Jolie described the constant overhead threat as "a heavy presence." She wrote on Instagram about experiencing the reality firsthand: "There was a moment when we had to pause and wait while a drone flew overhead. I was in protective gear, and for me it was just a couple of days. The families here live with this every single day."
Despite the overwhelming volume of drones—a figure that excludes artillery and glide bombs—Ukrainian forces manage to neutralize more than 90% of incoming threats, according to Battalion Commander Liashok.
For Kherson's residents, the memory of occupation and liberation continues to shape their resilience against constant drone attacks. As Dr. Haran expressed the community's determination: "We held out until liberation — we'll hold out until peace as well."
The UN commission noted it examined Russian claims about Ukrainian drone attacks on civilians in occupied areas but couldn't complete its investigation due to lack of access to territory, inability to ensure witness safety, and non-responses from Russian authorities.
