Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has shared a video depicting a Russian drone hunting and attacking a civilian street vendor in the southern Kherson region, labeling the incident a "human safari." The video, which has circulated online, shows the drone pursuing the man as he attempts to evade it around a van before striking him.

The incident, occurring in the Tavriiskyi district of Kherson, has drawn condemnation from Ukrainian officials who described it as a barbaric war crime and a deliberate Russian strategy to terrify civilians. The vendor, identified as Yuriy, a 52-year-old vegetable seller, survived the attack but sustained multiple shrapnel wounds, a concussion, and trauma, according to a doctor.

In footage released by the Kherson regional governor, Yuriy recounted the event from a hospital bed. He described hearing the drone's buzzing sound and seeing his wife run away before the drone focused on him. He attempted to show the drone's operator he was a civilian by holding up garlic, indicating the produce on display, including tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants.

This type of attack, sometimes referred to as a "human safari," is not new in the Kherson region, which is situated close to the front lines. Such tactics are allegedly employed by Russian forces to instill fear in residents of areas near the conflict. The videos captured by the drones are often shared online, providing a disturbing record of the attacks.

President Zelensky posted the video on Telegram, stating it was crucial for the world to witness such acts to understand Russia's alleged descent into madness and the alleged enjoyment Russian soldiers take in tormenting and killing people. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha echoed this sentiment, calling the attack a "deliberate and systemic Russian strategy" aimed at intimidating civilians and demanding international condemnation.

BBC Verify geolocated the video to a market area in the Tavriiskyi district. The origin of the earliest publicly available copy of the video is unclear, but it was shared by a pro-Ukrainian Instagram account. The United Nations has previously reported on Russian armed forces recurrently killing and injuring civilians in the Kherson area using drones.

A 2025 UN report noted that the practice of filming and posting videos of civilians being killed or injured could constitute the war crime of outrages upon personal dignity. Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has consistently denied targeting civilians.

This incident highlights ongoing concerns about the use of drones in warfare and their impact on civilian populations in conflict zones. The international community is being urged to respond to these alleged war crimes and hold perpetrators accountable.