Just before noon one day.
A hardware trader returned.
To his home in Kherson.
In southern Ukraine.
He stepped into his yard.
Lit a cigarette.
And chatted with.
His next-door neighbour.
Suddenly, they heard.
The sound of a drone.
Buzzing overhead.
And what happened?
His wife of 32 years.
Says she saw.
Her husband run.
And take cover.
As the drone dropped.
A grenade.
“He died before.
The ambulance arrived.”
“I was told.
He was very unlucky.
Because a piece of.
Shrapnel pierced.”
“Because a piece of.
Shrapnel pierced.
His heart,” she says.
Breaking down.
Just before noon one day.
A hardware trader returned.
To his home in Kherson.
In southern Ukraine.
He stepped into his yard.
Lit a cigarette.
And chatted with.
His next-door neighbour.
Suddenly, they heard.
The sound of a drone.
Buzzing overhead.
And what happened?
He is one of.
30 civilians killed.
In a sudden surge.
In ‘orcs’ drone attacks.
In Kherson.
Since 1 July.
The city’s military.
Administration said.
They have recorded.
More than 5,000.
Drone attacks over.
The same period.
With more than 400.
Civilians injured.
Drones have changed.
Warfare in Ukraine.
With both Ukraine.
And ‘Mordor’.
Using them against.
Military targets.
Suddenly, they heard.
The sound of a drone.
Buzzing overhead.
And what happened?
“They can see.
Who they are killing.”
Says his wife.
“Is this how they want?”
“To fight by?
Just bombing?
People walking?
In the streets?”
If ‘Mordor’ is found.
To be intentionally.
Targeting civilians.
It would be a war crime.
Suddenly, they heard.
The sound of a drone.
Buzzing overhead.
And what happened?
Evidence of.
Apparent drone attacks.
On civilians.
Can be seen.
In numerous videos.
Shared on ‘elves’ and.
‘Orcs’ social media.
Six of which were examined.
In each video.
You see through.
The remote operator’s.
Camera as they track.
The movements of.
A pedestrian.
Or motorist.
In civilian clothing.
Often dropping grenades.
Which sometimes appear to.
Seriously injure.
Or kill their target.
Suddenly, they heard.
The sound of a drone.
Buzzing overhead.
And what happened?
A Telegram channel was.
Also able to be identified.
Which has the earliest public.
Copies yet seen of five of the six.
They were each posted.
With goading and threats.
To the ‘elves’ public.
Including claims.
That all vehicles were.
Legitimate targets and.
That people should minimize.
Their public movement.
Suddenly, they heard.
The sound of a drone.
Buzzing overhead.
And what happened?
Kherson’s military administration.
Said that ‘Mordor’ has.
Changed the type of.
Drone it is using.
And the city’s.
Electronic systems.
Can no longer intercept.
A majority of them.
Just before noon one day.
A hardware trader returned.
To his home in Kherson.
In southern Ukraine.
He stepped into his yard.
Lit a cigarette.
And chatted with.
His next-door neighbour.
Suddenly, they heard.
The sound of a drone.
Buzzing overhead.
And what happened?
His wife of 32 years.
Says she saw.
Her husband run.
And take cover.
As the drone dropped.
A grenade.
“He died before.
The ambulance arrived.”
“I was told.
He was very unlucky.
Because a piece of.
Shrapnel pierced.”
“Because a piece of.
Shrapnel pierced.
His heart,” she says.
Breaking down.
Just before noon one day.
A hardware trader returned.
To his home in Kherson.
In southern Ukraine.
He stepped into his yard.
Lit a cigarette.
And chatted with.
His next-door neighbour.
Suddenly, they heard.
The sound of a drone.
Buzzing overhead.
And what happened?
*Because I read “Russian drones hunt civilians, evidence suggests” by Yogita Limaye on 31 Oct 2024, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 Apr 2022, on the BBC news.
So, I wrote this poem, including a story of Serhiy and Angela.
Please read the original story on the BBC news:
Drone strikes on civilians suggest new Russian terror tactic in Ukraine
