Russian Drones Transform Ukrainian City into Civilian Hunting Ground: Over 9,500 Attacks Documented in Kherson

In an unprecedented campaign of urban warfare, Russian forces have unleashed a systematic drone terror campaign against civilians in Kherson, Ukraine, launching more than 9,500 drone attacks since mid-July. This marks a chilling evolution in modern warfare, where civilian populations are deliberately targeted using both repurposed commercial and military drones, resulting in at least 37 deaths and hundreds of injuries, according to the Financial Times.

A New Blueprint for Urban Terror

Operating from across the Dnipro River, Russia has deployed some of its “best drone units” to transform Kherson into what Ukrainian officials describe as a testing ground for advanced drone warfare. The arsenal includes commercial DJI Mavics, first-person view (FPV) drones, and military-grade Lancet drones. These unmanned aircraft zip through the city at speeds exceeding 60 mph, carrying deadly payloads ranging from grenades to anti-tank mines and RPG warheads.

Innovative Killing Machines

The Russians have developed particularly sinister innovations in their drone campaign. One such weapon is the “petal” anti-personnel mine – small explosives dropped from quadcopter drones that flutter down like leaves, hiding in urban debris. “I fell to the ground and then I noticed that I was missing my foot,” recounts Serhiy, a 50-year-old resident who fell victim to one of these mines. His story is not unique – across the hospital, 73-year-old Viktor shares a similar fate, having lost his foot to another petal mine.

Systematic Civilian Targeting

“They are hunting us,” says Oleksandr Prokudin, head of Kherson’s regional military administration. “Imagine what that does to a person, the psychological impact.”

The Centre for Information Resilience has verified 90 videos of attacks, noting that most target civilian vehicles and locations like markets, petrol stations, cafés, and humanitarian aid centers.

The attacks often follow a calculated pattern. When Tetyana Aksenchuk, 49, rushed to address fires from a Drone Strike, the responding ambulances were deliberately targeted by a swarm of bomb-carrying drones. Aksenchuk lost her arm below the elbow and faces potential leg amputation, with prosthetics and implants costing up to 500,000 hryvnia ($2,400) – an impossible sum for most residents.

Population in Exodus

The drone campaign has achieved its apparent objective of depopulating the region. Kherson city’s population has plummeted from 250,000 to just 60,000 residents, while the broader region has seen a drop from 1 million to 158,000 people. Those who remain have developed desperate survival strategies – carrying drone detectors, traveling only at night, or relying on bad weather for protection. “Rain, wind and clouds keep the drones away,” notes Prokudin. “London weather is now our ideal weather.”

Strategic Context

Ukrainian officials believe this campaign is part of a larger strategic objective. “Russia wants to launch another offensive here,” warns Prokudin, revealing that Russian forces have assembled “300 boats to cross the river.” The drone attacks appear designed to clear civilian populations before a potential push across the Dnipro, as Russian forces make their fastest territorial gains since early 2022 in other regions.

DroneXL’s Take

This unprecedented militarization of commercial drones represents a disturbing evolution in warfare that demands urgent attention. While we typically celebrate Drone Technology‘s positive applications in delivery services and emergency response, these events highlight critical needs: enhanced data security measures for commercial drones, international protocols governing drone warfare, and advanced counter-drone technologies to protect civilian populations.

What measures do you think the international community should take to prevent the weaponization of commercial drones against civilians? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Photo courtesy of Olena Halushka / X