On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, Ukrainian authorities released footage showing a Russian drone circling over a man at a street market in Kherson, southern Ukraine, before detonating nearby. The incident, which Ukrainian officials said occurred on the same day, resulted in injuries to the man, a 52-year-old vegetable vendor named Yuriy.

Yaroslav Shanko, head of the Kherson City Military Administration, confirmed on Telegram that the man "suffered bodily injuries but survived." Kherson governor Oleksandr Prokudin added that Yuriy sustained blast trauma, shrapnel wounds, and a concussion but his life is not in danger.

The video, which could not be independently verified by AFP, shows the man seeking shelter behind a vehicle as the remotely piloted first-person view (FPV) drone pursues him before detonating its explosive charge.

Ukraine expressed strong condemnation of the attack. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reposted the footage on X, stating, "Today, many were shocked by yet another video of the drone 'safari' Russians are carrying out against civilians in Kherson." Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga called the incident a "barbaric Russian war crime" and said it "requires international condemnation and justice."

Officials described the attack as part of a deliberate and systemic Russian strategy targeting civilians. The city of Kherson, with a pre-war population of around 280,000, was under Russian control from March to November 2022.

The United Nations has reported an increase in civilian deaths throughout 2026 as the conflict in Ukraine continues with no sign of a peace deal after more than four years.

Sources