Kherson has become the first city in the world where the scale of drone use against the civilian population has taken on the character of a systematic campaign.
The New York Times writes about this, citing human rights defenders from the international organization Human Rights Watch.
According to them, Kherson’s experience could become a reality for many other conflict zones around the world.
“Kherson is the clearest example of a campaign targeting civilians using drones. But this is only the beginning of what could become a reality in conflict zones around the world. The cost of killing civilians has significantly decreased”, — notes Human Rights Watch deputy director Belkis Wille.
Human Rights Watch emphasizes that the availability of drones has democratized the use of lethal weapons.
Recall that in May last year a UN commission concluded that strikes by drones of the Russian armed forces against the civilian population in the Kherson region were classified as crimes against humanity.
According to the Kherson region prosecutor’s office, from April to October 2025, as a result of attacks by Russian FPV drones in Kherson, 31 civilians were killed and more than 586 people were injured.