Russian Drone Attacks Cause Majority of Civilian Casualties in Ukraine

Short-range drones have become the most frequent cause of civilian casualties in Ukraine, particularly affecting residents of Kherson, according to the latest report from the United Nations monitoring mission on February 11.

In January 2025, at least 139 civilians were killed and 738 injured across Ukraine. Of these, 38 fatalities (27%) and 223 injuries (30%) resulted from attacks involving small drones dropping explosives on civilian targets, including vehicles and public transport.

“Short-range drones are now among the deadliest threats to civilians in frontline areas,” said Danielle Bell, head of the UN mission.

The report notes that many of these drones operate using first-person view (FPV) technology, enabling operators on the ground to receive real-time video feeds and identify potential targets.

Most civilian casualties from these drones occurred in government-controlled areas of Kherson region, particularly along the Dnipro River. In January, such drones were responsible for 70% of civilian deaths in the region.

One incident on January 6 involved a drone striking a public bus in Kherson during rush hour, resulting in two fatalities and injuring eight civilians.

The UN also recorded an increase in civilian casualties from drone attacks in other frontline regions, including Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia.

Since the start of the full-scale war, approximately 12,500 civilians have been killed in Ukraine, including 650 children, according to the UN. The organization notes that these figures are likely underreported, as only confirmed cases are included in the count.

Earlier, reports indicated that Russian forces were systematically using FPV drones to target Ukrainian civilians in frontline areas, not only to inflict damage but also to train drone operators.

These operations were facilitated from the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, with attacks in Nikopol, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson targeting residential areas, emergency responders, and civilian vehicles. Such tactics, involving incendiary devices and high-temperature charges, were described as violations of the Geneva Conventions and war crimes.