Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report Tuesday identifying Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian civilians as war crimes and crimes against humanity. Attacks are executed using modified commercial drones. The report compiles information from survivors, witnesses, and videos from Russian Telegram channels

Belkis Wille, associate crisis, conflict, and arms director at Human Rights Watch, pointed out that due to the cameras that operators use to control the drones leave little doubt of the intent to “kill, maim, and terrify civilians.” 

According to the HRW report, there have been at least 45 documented deliberate drone attacks from June to December 2024, with almost 500 civilian injuries and 30 fatalities. The report stated that close to half of the population of the region fled, with mostly older people and those who are unable to evacuate easily remaining.

Besides attacks on civilians, the HRW report exposes that drone attacks have been carried out on healthcare facilities, ambulances, rescue workers, grocery stores, produce-delivering vehicles, infrastructure, municipal workers, buses, and cyclists. According to the report, ambulance personnel could no longer respond to calls in some areas for fear of drone attacks, nearly all stores in the affected areas have been forced to close, and residents have limited access to basic services and products.

HRW report established that Russian forces violate international humanitarian law, specifically the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, by earlier mentioned executions of drone attacks against civilians and emergency services. The report stressed that these violations amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

HRW urged the international community to identify effective ways of enforcing international humanitarian law, including through prosecutions of war crimes. The rights group also stated that governments should “work with commercial drone companies to develop and implement safeguards to prevent or minimize drones being used for unlawful combat purposes.”

The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine released a similar report on Russian drone usage against civilians in the Kherson oblast, declaring that the attacks on Ukrainian civilians in Kherson oblast constituted war crimes and crimes against humanity.