Russians are deliberately attacking civilians with short-range drones. This is stated in a recent report by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.
The report notes that the high level of civilian casualties resulting from such attacks indicates that these weapons are often used in violation of international humanitarian law.
In some cases, drone operators appear to have deliberately targeted civilians or civilian objects, such as medical vehicles or personnel. Such actions may constitute war crimes.
“Drones equipped with cameras capable of distinguishing between civilians and military personnel in real time should better protect the population. Instead, we see the death and injury of ordinary people who are simply riding buses, returning home or distributing humanitarian aid,” said mission head Daniel Bell.
The most striking example is Kherson, where the Russians have staged a ‘human safari.’
After de-occupation, Kherson and the right bank of the region are under constant fire from the Russian army, which is destroying critical and social infrastructure and residential buildings. Almost every day, civilians are killed and wounded. The occupiers are using artillery, guided aerial bombs, rockets and drones against the population.