Russia Orders “Free Hunting” Drone Attacks on Civilian Vehicles Across Kherson Region

Russian forces have been instructed to carry out so-called “free hunting” attacks against vehicles in Ukraine’s Kherson region using drones, including fiber-optic-controlled FPVs, according to Kherson Regional Military Administration head Oleksandr Prokudin on August 8.

The warning is based on operational information received from Ukrainian Defense Forces operating in the region, Prokudin said. Russian forces have also increased the number of drone crews deployed in the area to support the operations.

“We received operational information from our troops about an intensification of Russian drone terror in the region. According to the Defense Forces, the occupiers have been instructed to conduct so-called ‘free hunting’ against vehicles using UAVs, including fiber-optic-controlled drones. To implement these plans, the occupiers have increased the presence of their drone crews in the region,” Prokudin said.

According to the regional administration, Russian drone operators are paying particular attention to vehicles that can be visually identified or mistaken for transport used by Ukraine’s Defense Forces.

The increased drone activity also creates additional risks for civilian areas where large numbers of vehicles routinely gather.

“The risks of strikes near places with significant concentrations of vehicles are also increasing, including near supermarkets, markets, and gas stations,” Prokudin said.

He urged residents of the Kherson region to exercise increased caution over the coming weeks.

Fiber-optic FPV drones differ from conventional radio-controlled systems by maintaining their communications link through a physical cable. This makes them significantly less vulnerable to electronic warfare systems designed to disrupt radio signals.

Russian drone attacks against vehicles and civilians have become a persistent threat in the Kherson region, particularly in settlements close to the Dnipro River and the front line.

Earlier, in October 2025, Ukraine’s 12th Azov Brigade said it intercepted footage from a Russian FPV drone showing operators deliberately chasing Ukrainian farm workers and targeting agricultural machinery in the Donetsk region, describing the attacks as a “safari” on civilians.

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