Kherson Weekly: 29 March-11 April 2025
A “Weekly” Review of War-Related Events in & around Kherson
Photo: Kherson ODA
Photo of the Week
On 4 April, a 30-year-old volunteer evacuating civilians and their dogs from the Red Zone along the Dnipro River was driving an armored evacuation van. A Russian drone attacked the evacuation vehicle causing the volunteer to suffer a concussion. Luckily, the evacuee passengers and their pets were evacuated from the destroyed vehicle and transported to safety eventually. But first, they had to hide along the fence, in tree lines, and bombed out buildings to avoid the drones hunting them from above. The translation of the shaken, yet grateful volunteer’s caption:
“Today is my second birthday 😥”
Video of the Week
The video of the week comes directly from the volunteer. After miraculously surviving the attack, he rushes to retrieve the dogs from the back of the vehicle. The group rush around the neighborhood from shelter to shelter to avoid Russian drones hunting them. Then the emotional impact of these terrorist attacks becomes apparent towards the end as the men both cry while taking stock of their renewed chance at life after such a close brush with death.
Video: Andrey Valeryevych
Before continuing, consider a donation to Liberty Ukraine’s fundraiser to protect soldiers and vital logistics routes from FPV drone strikes with mesh netting.
Tracking Russian Terror
Data: Brendan Kelley
Situation Report
In the last two weeks, 6 April was by far and away the deadliest day with 3 fatal drone strikes in Antonivka and Dniprovskyi Raion. Not necessarily a deadly event, but still noteworthy was a drone attack on a store in Antonivka on 31 March, which wounded 3 women (ages 39, 43, and 46) and 3 men (ages 44, 53, and 61). Two more civilians were injured that same day also. Russian shelling focused specifically on the city of Bilozerka, which lies to the west of Kherson city. In the last two weeks 12 civilians have been wounded by Russian artillery, mortars, MRL, and airstrikes in Bilozerka itself. Drones injured 4 more in Bilozerka, 3 of them policemen.
Photo: Kherson Police
Drone attacks against police officers were a particular feature of Russian strikes in the first days of April. On 1 April, Kherson Police reported that two policemen, a 37-year-old man and 45-year-old man, were injured in Bilozerka. Two more police officers were injured, young men ages 21 & 27, in Antonivka on 3 April. Later on 9 April, a 39-year-old policeman was injured by a drone attack in Bilozerka.
To the north in Beryslav Raion, there were only 7 reported casualties from drones in the last two weeks: 3 in Beryslav, 2 in Chervonyi Mayak, and 1 in both Burhunka and Novoberyslav. 1 man died, while six other civilians were injured. On 10 April, a 59-year-old man was killed by a Russian drone attack in Beryslav, according to Kherson Police. I am under the impression based on reports from the ground that this is most likely an undercount, but it at least provides us a foundation from which to build.
So far in April, Russian forces have maimed or murdered 66 Ukrainian non-combatants in Kherson Raion: 4 people have been killed and another 62 civilians have been wounded by Russian attacks. Of those victims, Russian drone attacks have killed 3 and wounded 40 civilians, while miscellaneous shelling and bombing has killed 1 and wounded 21 civilians. 1 civilian has been wounded by UXO, IEDs, or landmines.
Data: Brendan Kelley
Since 1 January 2025, 77 civilians have been killed and another 703 have been wounded. Drones are responsible for the deaths of 47 people and injuries to 423 more, while all forms of Russian shelling and bombing combined were responsible for the deaths of 30 people and injuries to 273 others. 7 civilians have been wounded by UXO, IEDs, or landmines.
As of writing on 11 April 2025, 2409 civilians have been killed or wounded by Russian aggression since 21 June 2024, in Kherson Raion alone. 120 civilians have been killed by shelling, while 996 have been wounded. Another 103 civilians have been killed by drones, while 1170 civilians have been injured (a total of 1273 non-combatant drone casualties since late June). Furthermore, at least 1 civilian has been killed and another 19 wounded by UXO, IEDs, or landmines.
Some may notice these numbers are vastly higher than previous totals given in Kherson Weekly. I have performed a substantial audit of the civilian casualty database and the results are chilling, but provide interesting insight as to how and where this all began.
In performing an audit of the casualty database, I re-read the entirety of Kherson ODA’s casualty reports beginning on 1 January 2024 and ending on 11 April 2025. In doing so, I was able to first identify some 175 additional casualties between 21 June and 28 March. These were mostly civilians injured in villages surrounding Kherson in late summer or early fall 2024. I had not been tracking those locations initially, as my investigations with Tochnyi focused purely on Dniprovskyi Raion and Antonivka. In beginning Kherson Weekly, I expanded the scope of my casualty database to include those locations, but had yet to perform a thorough audit on those locations.
I will continue to perform audits regularly in order to ensure accuracy of data, as my collection methods have improved since tracking began in late June 2024. The next audit I hope to perform will be using the Kherson Police as the main source against which I will be checking the numbers. I anticipate finding more casualties specifically in Beryslav Raion and also in Kherson Raion, but prior to June 2024. Additionally, I may expand the scope of the data back into 2023 to see if there are any signs of early experiments with Human Safari-style tactics.
In extending back to the start of 2024, I identified another 251 civilian casualties in Kherson Raion from Kherson ODA’s casualty reports. From 1 January to 20 June 2024, 15 civilians were injured by Russian drone attacks in Kherson Raion, while none were reported to have been killed. Of the 15 casualties, 5 were police or medical personnel. 22 civilians were killed by shelling, while 206 civilians were injured. Additionally, 1 civilian was killed and another 7 civilians were wounded by UXO, IEDs, or landmines.
Data: Brendan Kelley
In Beryslav Raion, 458 civilians have been killed or wounded by Russian aggression since the start of 2024. 13 civilians have been killed by shelling, while 126 have been wounded. Another 31 civilians have been killed by drones, while 255 civilians have been injured (a total of 286 non-combatant drone casualties since January 2024). Furthermore, at least 2 civilians have been killed and another 31 wounded by UXO, IEDs, or landmines.
Data: Brendan Kelley
Data from Beryslav Raion provides a look at the early implementation of Human Safari-style tactics by Russian drone pilots, as reports of drone casualties emerged first on 13 January 2024. A 54-year-old man was injured by a drone strike in Beryslav, according to Kherson ODA. Over the course of February & March 2024, drone attacks became increasingly more common. April 2024 saw a major reduction in drone casualty reports, as artillery shelling dominated. UXO casualties were rather consistently sporadic. Looking a year ahead, drones were almost entirely responsible for civilian casualties reported in Beryslav Raion, showing a full-scale implementation of Human Safari-style tactics within Russian units operating across the Dnipro River.
Perhaps intentionally, or maybe coincidentally, Russian drone pilots first attacked in Kherson Raion around the same time. On 14 January 2024, 4 firefighters were wounded by a drone strike on an ambulance in Stanislav. I found this to be particularly interesting, as it shows Russia’s employment of strikes on first responders was an original part of Human Safari-style tactics.
Data: Brendan Kelley
Looking at 2024 as a whole for Kherson Raion, there’s a distinct change around mid-to-late June where drones become a major feature of casualty reports in the Raion from Kherson ODA, Kherson Police, and Gov. Prokudin. From August onward, drones became the predominant cause of civilian casualties, except for parts of early and late October and occasional spikes driven by large-scale barrages of the city center or glide bombings of apartment buildings. But this does not mean drones replaced artillery shelling in Kherson, rather the casualty data may indicate that an increase in Russian drone usage allowed for casualties from artillery to increase. Drones were known to first see their service in Russian reconnaissance and artillery assets.
Data: Brendan Kelley
Observing the pre-June data on the left of the charts, shelling was responsible for around 1-3 civilian casualties each day. After the implementation of drones at a wider scale and the adoption of Human Safari tactics in June, shelling caused between 3-5 civilian casualties each day.
In total, since January 2024, 3119 civilians have been killed or wounded by Russian aggression in Kherson Oblast. 293 civilians have been killed and 2825 civilians have been wounded.
Weekly Non-Combatant Victims of Russian Aggression
Note: Thus far I have only focused on Kherson Raion where the “Human Safari,” but have since expanded the scope of my research to include Beryslav Raion in Kherson Oblast, Sumy Oblast, Kharkiv Oblast, Donetsk Oblast, and Zaporizhzhia Oblast. I will be writing more about this with Tochnyi in the future after I complete the necessary data entry and research. From now on, I will include Beryslav Raion casualties in Kherson Weekly and anyone wishing to view the data can find a link to that separate spreadsheet below.
Additionally, in performing my audit, I decided to add casualties from “UXO” or “unexploded ordnance” to account for the many mine-related and explosive-object casualties reported by official sources.
Given the absence of a Kherson Weekly issue last week, below are the totals for the two weeks between 29 March and 11 April, as reported by Kherson ODA, Kherson Police, and Gov. Prokudin.
Kherson Raion
Shelling:
Killed: 1
Wounded: 27 (+ a 72-year-old woman injured on 22 February and a 42-year-old man injured on 25 March)
Drones:
Killed: 3
Wounded: 57
UXO:
Killed: 0
Wounded: 1
Total: 89 ( +2 civilians wounded in the weeks or months prior, seeking medical care)
Data: Brendan Kelley
Beryslav Raion
Shelling:
Killed: 0
Wounded: 0
Drones:
Killed: 1
Wounded: 6
UXO:
Killed: 0
Wounded: 0
Total: 7
Data: Brendan Kelley
Weekly Damaged Buildings & Infrastructure Report
Video: Oleksandr Prokudin
Private Homes & Apartments: 168
Unspecified Critical Infrastructure Objects: 5
Garages & Warehouses: 11
Educational Institutions: 3
Administrative Buildings: 1
Medical Facilities: 1
Private Businesses: 4
Museums: 1
Banks: 1
Gas & Heating Pipelines: 6
Cell Phone Infrastructure: 2
Data: Kherson Police
Weekly Damaged Vehicle Report
Photos: Kherson Police; Kherson Police
Civilian Automobiles: 24
Police & EMS: 4
Data: Kherson Police
Kherson will NEVER be a Russian city.
Sources
Ukrainian Sources
Андрей Валерьевич (@andry_boxer) • Instagram reel. (n.d.). Instagram.
Kitsoft. (n.d.). Головне управління Національної поліції в Херсонській області. https://hr.npu.gov.ua/news/vnaslidok-rosiiskykh-obstriliv-poraneno-chetvero-tsyvilnykh-slidchi-politsii-khersonshchyny-dokumentuiut-voienni-zlochyny
Kitsoft. (n.d.). Головне управління Національної поліції в Херсонській області. https://hr.npu.gov.ua/news/na-khersonshchyni-v-rezultati-rosiiskoi-ahresii-poraneno-11-liudei-pravookhorontsi-fiksuiut-naslidky
Kitsoft. (n.d.). Головне управління Національної поліції в Херсонській області. https://hr.npu.gov.ua/news/na-khersonshchyni-cherez-rosiiski-obstrily-poraneno-shistokh-liudei-ta-poshkodzheno-17-obiektiv-politsiia-fiksuie-naslidky
Kitsoft. (n.d.). Головне управління Національної поліції в Херсонській області. https://hr.npu.gov.ua/news/na-khersonshchyni-cherez-rosiiski-ataky-poraneno-piatokh-liudei-sered-postrazhdalykh-dvoie-politseiskykh
Kitsoft. (n.d.). Головне управління Національної поліції в Херсонській області. https://hr.npu.gov.ua/news/na-khersonshchyni-cherez-rosiisku-ahresiiu-poraneno-trokh-liudei-politsiia-fiksuie-naslidky-atak
Kitsoft. (n.d.). Головне управління Національної поліції в Херсонській області. https://hr.npu.gov.ua/news/obstrily-khersonshchyny-chetvero-poranenykh-ta-16-poshkodzhenykh-obiektiv-sered-postrazhdalykh-dvoie-politseiskykh
Kitsoft. (n.d.). Головне управління Національної поліції в Херсонській області. https://hr.npu.gov.ua/news/na-khersonshchyni-vnaslidok-rosiiskoi-ahresii-poraneno-shistokh-liudei-sered-postrazhdalykh-volonter
Kitsoft. (n.d.). Головне управління Національної поліції в Херсонській області. https://hr.npu.gov.ua/news/na-khersonshchyni-rosiiski-viiska-atakuvaly-myrne-naselennia-piatero-poranenykh-desiatky-poshkodzhenykh-obiektiv
Kitsoft. (n.d.). Головне управління Національної поліції в Херсонській області. https://hr.npu.gov.ua/news/na-khersonshchyni-cherez-rosiiski-obstrily-dvoie-liudei-zahynulo-ta-piat-poraneno-poshkodzheno-zhytlovi-budynky-medychnyi-i-navchalnyi-zaklady
Kitsoft. (n.d.). Головне управління Національної поліції в Херсонській області. https://hr.npu.gov.ua/news/na-khersonshchyna-vnaslidok-rosiiskykh-atak-odna-liudyna-zahynula-ta-visim-poraneno-sered-postrazhdalykh-vahitna-zhinka-ta-malolitnia-dytyna
Kitsoft. (n.d.). Головне управління Національної поліції в Херсонській області. https://hr.npu.gov.ua/news/na-khersonshchyna-vnaslidok-rosiiskykh-atak-odna-liudyna-zahynula-ta-visim-poraneno-sered-postrazhdalykh-vahitna-zhinka-ta-malolitnia-dytyna
Kitsoft. (n.d.). Головне управління Національної поліції в Херсонській області. https://hr.npu.gov.ua/news/na-khersonshchyni-cherez-rosiisku-ahresiiu-odna-liudyna-zahynula-i-troie-poraneno-poshkodzheno-18-obiektiv-politsiia-dokumentuie-naslidky
Kitsoft. (n.d.). Головне управління Національної поліції в Херсонській області. https://hr.npu.gov.ua/news/politsiia-fiksuie-naslidky-cherhovykh-vorozhykh-atak-na-pravoberezhzhia-khersonshchyny-odna-liudyna-zahynula-ta-shist-poraneno
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Прокудін Олександр - Офіційна сторінка. (n.d.). Telegram. https://t.me/olexandrprokudin/7132
🇺🇦Херcонська ОДА (ОВА). (n.d.). Telegram. https://t.me/khersonskaODA/14874
🇺🇦Херcонська ОДА (ОВА). (n.d.). Telegram. https://t.me/khersonskaODA/14887
🇺🇦Херcонська ОДА (ОВА). (n.d.). Telegram. https://t.me/khersonskaODA/33557
🇺🇦Херcонська ОДА (ОВА). (n.d.). Telegram. https://t.me/khersonskaODA/33622
🇺🇦Херcонська ОДА (ОВА). (n.d.). Telegram. https://t.me/khersonskaODA/33629
🇺🇦Херcонська ОДА (ОВА). (n.d.). Telegram. https://t.me/khersonskaODA/33811
English Sources
Kherson Raion Civilian Casualty data. (n.d.). Google Docs. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FBQpTmqkOfZ3Nq-m9rjh6kWkIjaCBDzjjyFsX3RdvM8/edit?gid=0#gid=0
Red Zone Ukraine: Human Safari expanded. (n.d.). Google Docs. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u64IHbiGejOoLpHr0LqlosZRI4J9ZweYQXK4Cyzkj6U/edit?gid=1521794625#gid=1521794625