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Russia’s Drone Operators Are Targeting Civilians on Purpose, UN Finds

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Photo of Vlad Litnarovych
Vlad Litnarovych
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Russia’s Drone Operators Are Targeting Civilians on Purpose, UN Finds
Illustrative image. Drones are stacked at the place of the 116th Mechanized Brigade’s permanent deployment in the Kupiansk direction on June 2, 2024, in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine. (Source: Getty Images)

Russia’s growing use of short-range drones to attack civilians in Ukrainian frontline regions is causing alarming levels of death and injury, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) reported on June 26.

The drones, particularly FPV-variants, are now among the leading causes of civilian casualties, surpassing even missile, artillery, and aerial bomb strikes in some periods.

The trend reflects both a technological leap and a steep rise in production by the Russian military. But instead of increasing precision to avoid civilian harm, drone operators are reportedly using FPV technology to intentionally target non-combatants.

“In addition to causing death and injury, the attacks have exacerbated an already critical humanitarian situation,” the UN mission said in its report. “Nonetheless, operators have deployed these weapons against civilians who showed no signs of direct participation in hostilities.”

FPV drones are equipped with live-feed cameras that allow operators to pilot them with high accuracy, even striking moving targets. In theory, this visibility should help distinguish military from civilian targets. In practice, the UN found, it’s often used to do the opposite.

Documented victims include:

  • Civilians riding bicycles or traveling in private cars

  • Public transport passengers

  • Ambulance crews and humanitarian aid workers

  • Evacuees

  • People simply standing near their homes

The majority of these attacks occurred in Ukrainian government-controlled territory, and many may constitute direct violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes.

“Targeting civilians is a flagrant violation of the principles of distinction and precaution,” the report states. “Some incidents may amount to intentionally directing attacks against civilians, which is a war crime.”

In addition to deaths and injuries, the UN found that drone attacks are cutting civilians off from essential services. Local authorities, humanitarian organizations, and medical workers often cannot safely access or move through impacted areas, worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis.

Older people and those with disabilities remain especially vulnerable, as they are less likely to evacuate from high-risk zones. These groups are increasingly isolated without food, medicine, or assistance.

The UN called for an immediate halt to the use of FPV drones against civilian targets and urged thorough investigations into all violations of international law.

Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reported that at least 5,974 instances of cluster munition use by Russia have been documented since the start of the full-scale invasion.

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