Ukraine on Tuesday (August 4) accused Russia of committing “war crimes.” A recently released video shows a vegetable vendor in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson being continuously pursued by a drone, which exploded as he sought cover, resulting in the man being injured.
According to footage released by the Ukrainian police, a drone was seen circling around a van chasing the man, and when the man dove behind the vehicle for cover, the drone exploded.
Ukrainian officials later revealed that the victim’s name is Yurii, a 52-year-old man who, although survived, was left traumatized with multiple shrapnel wounds on his body.
Oleksandr Prokudin, the military administrator of the Kherson region, later posted a video on the social media platform Telegram showing Yurii being interviewed in a hospital ward.
Prokudin criticized, “The drone operator could clearly see that the target was just an ordinary vegetable seller, yet deliberately aimed the ammunition directly at this man, even chasing Yurii around the van for about a minute.”
In the interview video, Yurii recalled sitting in the hospital room, stating, “At the time, my wife and I had just opened an umbrella to unload vegetables when we heard a buzzing sound but couldn’t locate where it was coming from. Then the drone flew low out of the bushes behind the market.”
Yurii expressed fear, saying, “It’s an open plain there, with nowhere to hide. It was really terrifying.” Additionally, he showed wounds on his legs and back, and expressed gratitude that his wife managed to escape unharmed.
On August 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reposted the video on social media platforms, criticizing the Russian military for conducting drone “safaris” against civilians in Kherson.
On the platform X, Zelenskiy stated, “Many were shocked by a video today showing a Russian drone deliberately chasing and exploding near a vegetable seller, resulting in his injury. Russia has gone mad. They have even admitted to this crime without any remorse, openly flaunting their actions of tormenting the people.”
Zelenskiy urged greater pressure on Moscow and for providing Ukraine with stronger security guarantees, forcing Russia to contemplate peace talks rather than escalate drone attacks. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also condemned the incident and called for condemnation and sanctions from the international community.
Regarding the video, Reuters has verified the location of the incident through satellite images, building layouts, and street structures but could not independently confirm the date of the incident. The Ukrainian authorities stated that the event occurred on August 4.
So far, the Russian Ministry of Defense has not responded to Reuters’ request for comment on the incident.
In 2025, the United Nations Independent International Investigation Committee on Ukrainian Independence issued a report accusing Russia of committing crimes against humanity in southern regions such as Kherson. The report documented how civilians became targets of Russian attacks while engaging in outdoor activities like walking or driving, with ambulances also being targeted in some instances.