For more than three years, thousands of Ukrainians have been living in a zone of constant danger. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, small-range drones have become the new face of war: silent, fast, accurate, but often deadly for the civilian population. Despite technologies that allow for clear targeting, hundreds of civilians — men, women, children, and the elderly — have fallen victim to attacks. A report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights states that these drones not only change the course of combat operations, but can also cut short the lives of those who simply want to survive in their city or village.
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Life in the crosshairs — who is dying from drones
From February 2022 to April 2025, at least 395 civilians were killed and more than 2,600 were injured in drone attacks. Most of them were men who were simply going to work, driving their children or trying to buy groceries. But among the dead were also women, children and elderly people who did not have time to hide or could not leave their homes. The elderly population was particularly vulnerable: many were unable to evacuate or leave their homes. In the Kherson region, for example, elderly villagers risk their lives every day to go out for water or medicine.
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Transport as a target
In the combat zone, a trip to the shop or hospital becomes a lottery. Cars and buses have become frequent targets — sometimes drones circle above the street, selecting a target, and then drop directly into the car interior. In one case in Kherson, a drone hit a minibus returning from the market: among the dead were the driver and two passengers who simply wanted to get home before curfew.
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Medical workers and volunteers are also at risk
People who help others are also targeted. Medical teams have been attacked at least 29 times: drones have hit ambulances with wounded people or doctors inside. In one such case, a drone struck an ambulance on its way to the hospital — the driver was killed, and the doctor and patient were seriously injured. Volunteers and repair crews trying to restore electricity or bring bread to cut-off villages have also been targeted repeatedly.
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When video kills instead of saving
Drone operators see everything in real time: they can recognise that there is a child in the car, that an elderly woman is standing near the house, that the person in the field is not a soldier. But they attack even though there are civilians in front of them. In many cases, this looks like indifference to human life. Under international humanitarian law, civilians must be protected, even during war. But every time a drone attacks indiscriminately, this principle is violated.
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What can be changed
The UN report calls on the Russian Federation to abide by the rules of war. It is necessary to introduce double checks on targets, train drone operators to recognise civilian objects, and investigate every case where civilians have been harmed. Equally important is to support those who have survived but lost their homes, families or mobility. Human rights cannot be suspended during hostilities. And every death that could have been avoided is not just a tragedy, but a violation that must be investigated and punished.
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