Russian occupying forces continue their systematic terror campaign against the civilian population of Kherson, utilizing both artillery shelling and unmanned aerial vehicles. As reported by the Kherson Regional Military Administration, Saturday, May 16, became a day of tragedy for the city: one person was killed and ten others sustained injuries of varying severity in targeted strikes. This brutal tactic underscores the enemy’s ongoing effort to destroy civilian infrastructure and intimidate Ukrainian residents.
The chronology of the attacks reveals a clear intent to inflict maximum damage throughout the day. Starting with an artillery strike on a residential apartment building in the city center at 4:00 AM, the aggressors continued their terror throughout the morning. By 7:00 AM, a civilian vehicle in the Central District was attacked, resulting in the hospitalization of a 60-year-old driver. Pedestrians also became targets of drone strikes; in the Korabelny district, the enemy deliberately dropped explosives on people walking in the street. The enemy’s cynicism was further demonstrated by an attack involving a 15-year-old boy, who suffered a concussion when a drone struck the building he was in.
By noon, the situation in Kherson remained critical. A renewed shelling of the city center led to the death of an unidentified man. Two other victims, a 35-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman, were hospitalized in serious condition, with medical teams fighting to save their lives. Such incidents have become a grim daily statistic of Russian crimes, where every square meter of Ukrainian territory is subjected to extreme trials.
The systematic way the Russian army targets civilian transport and residential quarters in Kherson indicates a conscious disregard for international humanitarian law. Each attack results in complex traumas, ranging from shrapnel wounds to severe concussions, necessitating immediate emergency response. These acts of public terror against defenseless citizens are further evidence that the war is being waged not only on the front lines but against every Ukrainian citizen. Factage Ukraine continues to monitor the situation in Kherson and the condition of the survivors, urging the international community to increase pressure on the aggressor to stop the killing of innocent civilians.