The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine recently published a report labeling Russian drone strikes against civilians in Ukraine’s Kherson Province as crimes against humanity and war crimes. The commission asserts that these attacks have led to approximately 150 civilian fatalities since July 2024, citing a sustained campaign targeting local populations and critical infrastructure.
The commission’s findings detail a troubling pattern of drone assaults focused on civilian areas, including incremental strikes on ambulances. Such targeting contravenes the Geneva Convention Relative to The Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, which protects medical vehicles and personnel during conflicts. Video evidence reportedly confirms these strikes on ambulances attempting to reach the injured or stationed at hospitals.
Data gathered from over 300 videos and 600 text posts on Russian-language Telegram, along with 90 interviews from Kherson inhabitants, provide a robust evidence base for the commission’s claims. Many of these attacks have been carried out with adapted civilian drones from the Chinese company, Da-Jiang Innovations.
The report graphically illustrates the resulting havoc in Kherson, with visuals of burning residential buildings, toppled apartments, and destroyed public utilities such as hospitals and supermarkets. Social media posts from Russian-language channels also feature alongside the report, showing drone strikes on civilians complete with incriminating captions, some videos even set to music as if to celebrate the destruction.
The release of this report follows the commission’s ongoing mandate from the Human Rights Council to investigate human rights violations related to Russia’s military actions in Ukraine. The commission’s mandate was most recently renewed in April, allowing for continuous scrutiny of activity in the conflict zone.