A 52-year-old fruit seller in Kherson narrowly survived after a Russian drone circled him before detonating nearby, in what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described as a 'human safari' against civilians. The attack occurred at 6:30am as the man was setting up his stall at the Tsentralnyi farmer's market. The drone hovered overhead, prompting the man to run in circles around his van in a desperate attempt to escape, before the device dove and exploded, leaving him with a concussion and shrapnel wounds.
Footage shows chilling pursuit
Video of the incident, posted by Zelensky on X, shows the man collapsing after the blast, blood streaming down his body. The footage has drawn comparisons to the 'human safaris' of the Bosnian civil war, where tourists reportedly paid to shoot at civilians during the siege of Sarajevo.
Zelensky wrote: 'Today, many were shocked by yet another video of the drone “safari” Russians are carrying out against civilians in Kherson. A Russian drone deliberately hunted down a man selling vegetables and detonated right next to him. The Russians even admitted to the crime, showing zero regret and openly boasting about tormenting people. The man was wounded in the blast. Every single day, ordinary people in Kherson face these Russian “safaris.”'
Ukraine's foreign ministry condemns attack
Ukraine's foreign ministry also shared the footage, stating: 'This is who Russia chooses to target. Not a military position. A civilian at work. In Ukraine’s Kherson, a Russian drone deliberately hunted down an ordinary market vendor. The attack left the 52-year-old man with injuries and a concussion. This is a deliberate campaign of terror against innocent civilians. The world must not accept this as normal. Stronger pressure on Russia is needed right now. These crimes must not go unanswered.'
Broader context: Drone strikes and counter-accusations
The incident comes amid a series of drone attacks and mutual accusations. Earlier, a drone explosion at a Black Sea resort killed seven Russians and injured 17, with sunbathers scrambling for cover. Krasnodar regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev accused Ukraine of a 'deliberate strike on civilians,' though both sides deny targeting civilians intentionally.
On Sunday, Russian forces attacked a civilian car in Kherson's Dniprovskyi district, killing a woman and injuring two others, according to a local statement. Additionally, a warehouse near St Petersburg was hit by drones on Tuesday, as reported by regional governor Alexander Drozdenko, though he did not specify the facility's name.
Zelensky calls for global resolve
Zelensky emphasized the need for international action: 'It must see every piece of evidence that Russia has gone mad and that its soldiers take pleasure in killing and abusing civilians. Without pressure on Russia, the dismantling of its capacity for aggression, and real security guarantees, it is simply impossible to imagine the world being able to coexist with this evil. We must remain resolute in defending life. We must act and support life in ways that force Russia to seriously think about peace rather than expanding the range of its drones.'
