Russia deploys ~7,000 FPV drones daily in routine attacks on Ukrainian civilians

A vegetable vendor in Kherson is attacked by a Russian drone. A video of the attack goes viral. For many Ukrainians, this has long been everyday life.

Publication date: 2026-08-05 19:37

Ukrainian unit in the Kharkiv region tasked with eliminating Russian FPV drones. Photo: Viacheslav Madiievskyi/NurPhoto/imago

From Sumy Anna Klochko

A vegetable vendor from the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson was chased by a Russian drone. The aircraft circled his vehicle before exploding in close proximity to the man. The video, released on Tuesday, spread rapidly in international media.

The 52-year-old victim, Yuri, survived but was hospitalized with a traumatic brain injury, blast injury, concussion, and shrapnel wounds. For many viewers outside Ukraine, these images came as a shock. Many Ukrainians, in turn, expressed surprise that such scenes are still perceived as something new in the West.

In fact, the attack in Kherson is just one of many such incidents. Targeted attacks by Russian drones on civilians near the front line have been documented since 2024. Drone operators track people on streets, paths, and in courtyards. They chase cars, bicycles, and public transport.

Victims include passersby, villagers working on their properties, drivers, bus passengers, paramedics, rescue workers, and municipal service employees. Such attacks are recorded not only in the Kherson region but also in the Kharkiv, Sumy, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and other frontline regions.

1,200 Kilometer Front Line

The front line in Ukraine stretches approximately 1,200 kilometers — equivalent to the distance from Berlin to Rome. Along this line, Russian units deploy FPV drones daily. FPV stands for "First Person View" — the perspective from the operator's point of view. The operator receives the camera image in real time, sees the selected target, and controls the drone based on this visual information.

Streets in cities near the front are covered with anti-drone nets.

The small aircraft can reach speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour, operate at low altitude, maneuver between houses and trees, and target a specific objective. Such drones can be equipped with a warhead weighing one to five kilograms and can disable people or vehicles either through a direct hit or an explosion in close proximity.

Successful shootdown of a Russian FPV drone in the Kharkiv region. Photo: Viacheslav Madiievskyi/NurPhoto/imago

In Russia's war against Ukraine, FPV drones have become one of the most widespread types of weapons — they are relatively inexpensive, maneuverable, and difficult to intercept. On average, Russian forces attack the Ukrainian side with 7,000 FPV drones daily.

Conventional FPV drones are controlled via radio — a connection that can be disrupted by electronic warfare measures. However, Russian troops are increasingly using drones controlled via a fiber optic cable, which transmits both control commands and image data. Such aircraft are very difficult to jam using conventional means.

Constant Psychological Pressure

Entire streets in Sumy, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and other cities near the front are covered with anti-drone nets. While they do not provide one hundred percent protection, they exert constant psychological pressure: even on your own street, you feel like you are in a cage — yet you are still afraid to look out.

Russian FPV drones have already been spotted in various districts of Sumy. The targets of the attacks include residential areas, private properties, streets, civilian vehicles, and infrastructure facilities. Last June, a Russian FPV drone attacked a funeral procession on the outskirts of Sumy — a person whose legs were torn off died. Several other people were also injured.