Ukraine accuses Russia of war crime after drone targets vegetable seller in Kherson

Published Aug 8, 06:10 PM UTC

Ukraine has accused Russia of committing a war crime after a video released by Ukrainian police showed a drone chasing and wounding a 52-year-old vegetable seller in the southern city of Kherson. The footage, verified by Reuters, depicts the drone pursuing the man around a van used as a street stand before exploding as he dives for cover. The victim, identified as Yurii, survived but suffered shrapnel injuries and shock. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as a 'drone safari' against civilians, stating that 'Russia has gone mad' and calling for increased pressure on Moscow. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the incident as part of a deliberate Russian campaign to intimidate civilians. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported a 37% increase in civilian casualties in the first half of 2026, primarily due to Russian long-range strikes. Russia has not commented on this specific incident but has accused Ukraine of terrorism following a separate drone attack on a beach in Gelendzhik.