Russian drones target civilians in Ukraine, UN report says
The Russian military is increasingly using FPV drones to target civilians in Ukraine, a move that is deeply concerning to the international community and requires an urgent investigation. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission (HRMM) has documented numerous cases of war crimes that demonstrate a systematic pattern of attacks on civilians, indicating a deliberate policy of aggression by the Russian military. According to published data, drones, particularly FPV models – quadcopters with cameras and the ability to precisely target – have become one of the main causes of the high number of deaths and injuries among civilians in Ukraine. In a few months, these drones have even surpassed powerful military equipment such as missiles, artillery shells and aerial bombs in terms of human casualties. The UN analysis shows that the attacks were carried out deliberately on civilian objects and individuals not engaged in hostilities. The document notes that a significant number of victims are civilians traveling by bicycle, personal transport or evacuation buses; medics and humanitarian workers moving to provide assistance; people walking or simply staying near their homes. The study records that many of these targets were deliberately chosen or the attacks were carried out without taking into account the precedents of international humanitarian law, violating the basic principles of demarcation and precaution in military affairs. The UN report clearly emphasizes that such actions may fall into the category of deliberate attacks on civilians, which is a war crime under international law. In this case, it is not only about direct human losses, but also about the widespread destabilization of the humanitarian situation. Drone attacks complicate the delivery of necessary assistance. Non-governmental organization workers, medical workers and civil servants are forced to refrain from traveling to the affected areas due to the high risk to their lives, which significantly limits the ability to provide necessary medical, food and other vital services. The elderly and people with disabilities suffer the most, who, due to limited evacuation options, remain in dangerous areas, with increased risk to their lives and health. The international monitoring mission calls for a strong international response and measures to stop such crimes, while the active use of drones by Russian forces creates new challenges for the security of the civilian population, violating the norms of humanity and international humanitarian law.