Russian Terror In Kherson Continues, the World’s First Drone Siege

Russia’s barbarity in Ukraine continues to reach new levels,  with the Southern city of Kherson now enduring what experts call the world’s first documented “drone siege.”

Russian forces are deploying swarms of FPV and AI-guided drones to terrorize civilians and strike the city’s only secure supply route — the M-14 Kherson–Mykolaiv highway. On August 26, 2025, Ukrainian authorities announced that the highway would be temporarily closed, citing relentless drone attacks that have made travel perilous and resupply increasingly difficult.

The same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Volodymyr Saldo, Russia’s appointed head of the Kherson occupation administration, in the Kremlin. The meeting was broadcasted over all major Russian publications. 

A major part of the discussion focused on the importance of road infrastructure in the Kherson region, with a mention of the “road to Kherson.” While the drone siege was not mentioned, the conversation reflected Moscow’s plan to establish the control over transport routes to project political and military authority. TASS, Russia’s main information agency, ran a headline, Saldo: Repairs of the Road to Kherson Have Begun on the Left Bank of the Dnipro[River].

“Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a clear signal to the Kyiv regime and the West that Moscow will not yield any of the territories liberated since February 2022 as part of any deal with Ukraine,” writes URA.RU, a Russian publication, quoting a political analyst who claims that this meeting is “a response to speculation that any concessions are being discussed as part of a deal and that Moscow is willing to give something away.”

Another analyst comments that “the signal is directed not only at Ukraine and the West, but also at the residents of Kherson Region.”

Geographical Position

Saldo and Putin did not mention of the daily attacks on the residents of Kherson Region. Kherson’s geographic and strategic position makes it vulnerable to every sort of attack imaginable and a prime goal for a “drone siege.” Situated on the right bank of the Dnipro River, only a mile from the Russian military positions on the occupied territory, Kherson receives supplies via the M-14 highway, the only functional road to the rest of Ukraine, connecting the city to Mykolaiv and beyond to Odesa. Due to its proximity to the frontline, the city has endured years of shelling, bombing, and repeated drone attacks since its liberation in late 2022. 

The M-14 highway is the city’s lifeline. Its closure would prevent the delivery of food, medicine, and fuel. Daily attacks threaten to isolate 60,000 civilians, disrupt logistics, and prevent the movement of emergency services, raising the risk of a humanitarian crisis. Secondary roads are also under fire, leaving the city with limited avenues for resupply.

“The Drone Siege”

In an unprecedented move, Russian forces in Kherson are deploying drones not only for hunting civilians—a tactic known as “human safari”—but also to establish an aerial blockade, disrupting traffic, evacuation, supply deliveries, and basic urban functioning. Operating 30–80 drones daily, including fast first-person-view (FPV) models, Russian forces strike civilian vehicles, infrastructure, and supply routes with explosives, incendiary devices, and anti-personnel mines. 

These low-cost, high-frequency attacks create both physical hazards and psychological pressure, setting roadside fields ablaze and degrading mobility along the highway, effectively isolating the city without relying on conventional heavy weapons.

The drone siege is designed to compromise Kherson’s supply chain. Fuel, medical supplies, and essential goods face delayed delivery or cancellation. Traffic control measures, including temporary road closures and police oversight, mitigate immediate risk but cannot fully counter persistent drone threats. 

This development marks a new phase in modern warfare: small, commercially available drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles replace traditional artillery and infantry in encircling civilian areas. 

Defense

The Ukrainian military respond with installing “drone tunnels” providing protective netting built of road poles and fishing nets, allowing residents and critical services to move relatively safely. Ukrainian-made drone detectors became a staple of Kherson life, used by civilians to decide whether moving is safe. 

The focus on the M-14 illustrates a broader Russian strategy: control over roads is a military instrument. Roads enable movement of troops and civilians, regulate supply chains, and project authority across occupied territories. The attack on the main road does not just weaken logistical corridors, but also signals the loss of administrative control.

Ukrainian politician and military officer Ihor Lutsenko has called for urgent action at the national level.

Hybrid Warfare

The Russian campaign in Kherson combines physical attacks with psychological and political signaling. Drones targeting civilians, repeated strikes on supply lines, and the publicized reconstruction meetings between Putin and occupational authorities all work together to project power, intimidate the population, and manipulate perception at home and abroad.