"Pilot Saw Nothing but Vegetables"

Victim of “drone safari” describes cowardly attack

The drone that had been chasing the vegetable vendor eventually exploded next to the 52-year-old—the man was seriously injured.(Bild: Krone-Collage/OSINT, Polizei Ukraine)

A video showing a Russian drone chasing a civilian in Kherson has sparked outrage around the world. Now, the victim of the “human safari” has spoken out about the incident: Yurii, a 52-year-old Ukrainian vegetable vendor, survived with severe shrapnel wounds and a concussion.

The vendor had just set up his awning with his wife and unloaded the vegetable crates in front of his stall when they heard the distinctive hum of a drone overhead. His wife fled, while he tried to signal to the drone pilot that he was an unarmed civilian and not someone trying to film the drone.

“I only had tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants on the ground”
The drone had previously appeared out of nowhere behind the market and was flying very low—heading straight for the vegetable vendor. “He could see that I only had tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants on the ground,” Jurii explained.

Here, Jurii describes the horrific incident:

Man Has Already Survived Two Russian Attacks
The man was wounded in an explosion that followed the chase. His wife was unharmed. “Everything’s torn open here,” the 52-year-old says, pointing to the thick bandages wrapped around his injuries. His car was also severely damaged in the attack.

This was already the second time he had survived a Russian attack. During the first one, his car had been thrown onto its side. “But we were able to free ourselves from it. We patched it back together, and that’s how we’re driving around now,” Jurii said. 

“The victim suffered multiple shrapnel wounds to his torso, as well as to his upper and lower limbs,” a doctor describes the 52-year-old’s injuries. He also sustained barotrauma and a concussion—“but fortunately, his life is not in danger at the moment,” the doctor said. 

Zelenskyy: “Russians Take Pleasure in Killing Civilians”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the “drone safari” on X. “The world needs to see this!” the politician declared, sharing the video. “The Russians even admitted to the crime, showed no remorse whatsoever, and openly boasted about torturing people,” Zelenskyy said indignantly. Russia has “gone mad,” he said, and its soldiers “take pleasure in killing and abusing civilians.”