Ukrainian vegetable seller targeted in ‘human safari’ drone attack
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has shared BBC-verified footage of a Russian drone hunting down and attacking a street vendor in Kherson, a practice some in Ukraine call a "human safari." The 52-year-old victim, vegetable seller Yuriy, survived but suffered shrapnel wounds and a concussion. Such attacks highlight a disturbing pattern of remotely-operated drones being used to terrorise civilians living close to the front line, despite Russia repeatedly denying it deliberately targets non-combatants.
The incident took place in Kherson, a city only a few miles from the front line and long subject to drone strikes on civilian areas. The video shows the drone tracking Yuriy before detonating, an attack method that has become emblematic of the psychological toll on residents in frontline Ukrainian communities. BBC correspondent Paul Adams reported on the story from Kyiv.
In short
- Drone hunted and attacked a Kherson street vendor, filmed and verified by BBC
- Vendor Yuriy, 52, survived with shrapnel wounds and concussion
- Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians in such "human safari" attacks
Explained simply
Kherson is a city in southern Ukraine, close to areas where Russian and Ukrainian forces are fighting. Its residents have faced repeated attacks by drones, which can be operated remotely and used to watch people before striking.
Yuriy is a 52-year-old street vendor who sells vegetables in the city. Ukrainian officials and residents have used the phrase “human safari” for attacks in which drones appear to pursue civilians; Russia denies deliberately targeting non-combatants.
Such attacks matter because they can injure civilians and make everyday activities feel unsafe, even away from active combat. They also raise questions about how civilians near the front line can be protected.