
How Russians Are Erasing Life in Ukraine’s South - with Zarina Zabrisky
May 13, 2026
52:20
The Russian army is hunting people in Kherson, a major city in the southern part of Ukraine. It is estimated that 700 Russian drones attack Kherson region every day. Russian soldiers are targeting Ukrainian civilians, their cars, and their homes, as if they were on a safari.
On the occupied lands of the Kherson region, on the left bank of the Dnipro River, the situation is even worse. There, the Russian army is implementing the tactics of a 'drone blockade.' People cannot leave their villages, they cannot buy food, and they cannot even bury their dead. The situation is catastrophic, and Russia is continuously breaking international humanitarian law. These people must be rescued urgently.
You’re listening to the Explaining Ukraine podcast.
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Explaining Ukraine is brought to you by UkraineWorld, an English-language media outlet run by Internews Ukraine.
Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, Chief Editor of UkraineWorld, and President of PEN Ukraine.
Guest: Zarina Zabrisky, an American journalist and writer who now lives in Kherson. She is the author of the documentary 'Kherson. Human Safari,' which explores Russia’s continuous tactics of exterminating the population of the city. You can find our previous conversation about this film here on this podcast: https://ukraineworld.org/en/podcasts/ep-384
Now, she is also working to draw attention to the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding on the Russian-occupied lands of the Kherson region.
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CONTENTS:
00:03 What is the current catastrophic situation in Kherson and Kherson region, with continuous Russian drone attacks and violations of international humanitarian law?
04:54 How has the situation in Kherson deteriorated with constant drone attacks, and what does the term "human safari" imply?
06:34 What are the new and undetectable fiber optic drones being used by Russians, and how do they pose an increased threat?
09:59 How significantly have drone attacks intensified in the Kherson region, with alarming daily and hourly statistics?
13:01 What extreme safety measures do Kherson residents employ to navigate a city constantly under threat from drones, mines, and falling debris?
15:06 How does Kherson continue to function with public transportation, taxis, and even food delivery?
18:36 Are Russian forces deliberately using guided bombs and training drone pilots by targeting Ukrainian civilians in Kherson?
23:27 What is the "drone blockade" tactic implemented by Russians in the occupied territories of the Kherson region?
36:35 What are the unbearable living conditions in Russian-occupied towns and villages of the Kherson region, including lack of food, heating, medical care, and the tragic "burial crisis"?
40:14 What evacuation options are being considered for the people trapped in the occupied territories, and what are the challenges involved?
41:53 Why are Russians intentionally creating such horrific conditions in occupied territories, from using civilians as human shields to property seizure and ethnic cleansing?
46:16 What actions can the international community, including NGOs, governments, and individuals, take to address the genocide unfolding in occupied Kherson?
49:11 What gives Zarina Zabrisky hope amidst the difficult and horrific conditions she witnesses daily in Kherson?
