Russian Drone Operators Train on Civilians in Kherson, Report Says

Kherson Under Siege

According to Главком: According to a report by French outlet Le Monde, citing information published by Glavkom, Russian forces are using civilians in Kherson as live targets to train attack drone operators. These operators are being prepared for more challenging front-line sectors in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia. Explosions occur every five minutes in Kherson, creating a perilous environment for the roughly 60,000 residents who remain in the city.

Major Mykola Stavyskyi, who commands a drone battalion within the 34th Separate Marine Infantry Brigade, moves through the city in civilian clothes and a civilian vehicle. He stated:

“We know the Russians have drone operator schools in the region and train on civilians right on the streets. We try to destroy them, but these schools and bases are located deeper in the rear, out of reach of our drones.”

According to Stavyskyi, his battalion hunts the enemy up to 35 kilometers beyond the front line, focusing on Russian drone pilot positions. He hits two to three targets daily.

Front Line and Defense

The front line remains stable, as neither side can cross the Dnipro River. Captain D., an officer with the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) Navy, noted:

“The front remains stable because the Russian army cannot cross the river. But let’s be honest: we cannot either. If we had the deep-strike capabilities in 2022–2023 that we have today, we would have driven the Russians out.”

In the Kherson region, over 207 kilometers of anti-drone protection have been installed along strategic routes. Anti-drone nets are appearing over city streets, and a soldier with a shotgun stands as the last line of defense. Deputy head of the regional military administration for defense, Olga Malarchuk, remarked: 'People here live one day at a time, just like soldiers on the front line. Tomorrow simply does not exist.'

Before the war, Kherson had about 300,000 residents; now only 60,000 remain. Ukrainian forces are complicating Russian logistics and supply lines, but a counteroffensive will take time.

The situation in Kherson underscores the severe challenges facing both civilians and military personnel amid active hostilities. Using civilians as targets for training military drone operators highlights an escalation of the conflict and dangerous practices that endanger lives. The stability of the front line and the limited resources on both sides suggest that the situation in southern Ukraine will remain tense for a long time, and Kherson’s residents will continue to live in uncertainty and risk.

The ongoing conflict in Kherson has resulted in severe consequences for the civilian population, as evidenced by the recent reports of increased shelling. In fact, over 30 settlements in the Kherson region were targeted in a single day, further exacerbating the already dire situation for residents. For a deeper understanding of the impact of these attacks and the challenges faced by the local communities, read more about the recent shelling incidents in this detailed report.