The Dystopian Future Dawns in Kherson
The article reports on the use of Russian drones to target civilians in the Kherson region of Ukraine, describing the practice as a 'human safari.' It highlights the psychological and physical terror experienced by local residents.
Why it matters
It documents potential war crimes and the evolving nature of drone warfare against non-combatants in the ongoing conflict.
Putin’s human safari in Ukraine is the beginning of a grim new normal.
A drone hovers over railway tracks in a Russian-occupied location in Ukraine's Kherson region. ( Evgeny Biyatov / Sputnik / AP ) August 5, 2026, 10:45 AM ET Share Save Yuri is a 52-year-old Ukrainian who runs a market stall in Kherson, not far from the front line. Yesterday, he was sorting through vegetables when he heard the loud, distinctive buzz of a Russian drone. As he later told the journalist Zarina Zabrisky, he had nothing more than a couple of garlic bulbs in his hands, and no weapons. “Not even a phone.” He gestured at his tomatoes and peppers, so that the drone operator, whoever and wherever he might be, could see that he wasn’t a soldier.
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