Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Residents near Ukraine’s frontlines have described being pursued by Russian drones that tracked and attacked them as they fled, according to a new UN investigation.
A report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine revealed that Russian drones equipped with cameras have been used to follow civilians across long distances before striking them with incendiary or explosive payloads.
Reuters reported that the inquiry, based on hundreds of verified videos and 226 interviews with survivors, aid workers and officials, found that many victims described feeling “hunted.”
In several cases, including one in Kherson in August 2024, drones followed individuals before attacking. A woman was injured after a drone pursued her to her garage, where her home was later hit by additional strikes.
The attacks, investigators said, have forced thousands to abandon frontline towns.
Coordinated campaign alleged
The UN commission concluded that these operations were part of a deliberate campaign to remove civilians from targeted regions.
“These attacks were committed as part of a coordinated policy to drive out civilians from those territories and amount to the crime against humanity of forcible transfer of population,” the 17-page report stated.
Populations in parts of southern Ukraine have dropped sharply, the inquiry found, as residents fled repeated drone assaults.
The commission plans to present its findings to the United Nations General Assembly this week.
Evidence of intent
Investigators documented drone attacks across a 300-kilometre zone covering the Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk and Mykolaiv regions over a one-year period.
Humanitarian responders, including ambulances and firefighters marked with aid symbols, were also struck.
“There can be no doubt about these drone operators acting with intent,” said Erik Mose, Chair of the Inquiry, in an interview with Reuters.
“They are really pursuing human beings, be they in their gardens, at home or in the street,” he added.
Wider context
The report also noted that Ukraine has carried out limited strikes on civilian infrastructure in Russia and Russian-held territories.
Moscow denies intentionally targeting civilians and has refused to cooperate with the UN inquiry, which has previously accused Russian authorities of war crimes including the deportation of Ukrainian children.
The findings add to growing evidence of systematic attacks on non-combatants.
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation
