Russia employs drones to target Ukrainian civilians, according to reports.
Russian military forces have increasingly utilized drones to engage civilians in Ukraine, as outlined in a recent report by the esteemed human rights advocacy organization Human Rights Watch (HRW). According to the NGO, these unmanned aerial vehicles have been deployed extensively throughout the more than three-year conflict, leading to a significant number of civilian casualties and injuries, a situation that clearly contravenes international humanitarian law.
The report, published on Tuesday, provides a comprehensive analysis of drone strikes targeting non-military sites, particularly in the southern city of Kherson. The findings highlight that Russian forces have employed commercially available quadcopter drones, which can be produced both domestically and abroad. Eyewitness accounts, alongside video evidence from the ground, suggest a troubling pattern where civilians and civilian infrastructure are deliberately pursued.
Belkis Wille, HRW’s director of arms and conflict, emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting that the ability of drone operators to track individuals using high-resolution video feeds indicates a concerning intent to instill fear, injury, or fatality among non-combatants. Wille called upon the international community to bolster avenues for accountability, stressing the importance of standing in solidarity with the victims of these alleged war crimes.
The report corroborates previous accounts from residents and local officials in Kherson, which described instances of Russian drone operators reportedly training by targeting civilians in what has been termed “human safaris.” This troubling revelation points to a broader strategy aimed at terrorizing the civilian population.
HRW conducted extensive research for the report, interviewing 36 survivors and witnesses while analyzing a total of 83 videos distributed through military-affiliated Telegram channels. Their analysis revealed that from June to December 2024, at least 45 deliberate drone attacks were recorded, affecting civilians and civilian facilities, including hospitals. Kherson authorities reported at least 30 deaths and approximately 500 injuries directly resulting from these attacks during the context studied.
A subsequent United Nations report highlighted that the drone strikes accounted for a staggering 70 percent of civilian casualties in Kherson over a specified timeframe. The intent behind these attacks, as noted in the UN findings, appears to aim at instilling terror among the local population, which aligns with a broader troubling trend of attacking civilians during armed conflicts.
In addition to raising awareness of these humanitarian issues, the report underscores the necessity for increased international scrutiny and support for the victims affected by the ongoing conflict.
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