{
  "id": 226081,
  "title": "Anne Applebaum warns Russia's drone war could spread beyond the battlefield",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/06/anne-applebaum-warns-russias-drone-war-could-spread-beyond-the",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-06T15:39:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Voice of Ukraine",
    "slug": "new-voice-of-ukraine",
    "url": "https://english.nv.ua/nation/anne-applebaum-russia-uses-drones-to-hunt-civilians-50630526.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "American historian and journalist Anne Applebaum warns in a recent column for The Atlantic that Russia's use of drones in Ukraine could extend beyond the battlefield. In August, Applebaum described Russian drones as tools for \"human hunting,\" citing the case of a 52-year-old vegetable vendor in Kherson who was chased by a drone despite holding only garlic and pointing to his vegetables. Since 2024, Ukrainian officials report that Russian drones have been deliberately targeting civilians in Kherson and other parts of southern and eastern Ukraine. Applebaum argues that while drones were initially seen as a humanitarian advantage, allowing operators to avoid civilian casualties, Russian operators are now using them to hunt civilians deliberately. She warns that the world is not prepared for the widespread use of intelligent and lethal machines, suggesting that such technology could soon impact areas like crime, terrorism, law enforcement, and the legal system. The report on Russian drone strikes in Kherson, published last year by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, found that civilians were targeted in a variety of circumstances, including pedestrians and people in vehicles. The report also noted that ambulances were struck, apparently to prevent medics from providing emergency treatment.",
  "summary": "American historian and journalist Anne Applebaum wrote in a column for The Atlantic that Russia has turned drones from weapons meant to reduce civilian casualties into tools for deliberately hunting civilians, describing the tactic as \"human hunting\" on Aug. 6.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "DW News",
        "title": "Germany news: Drone found near plane with Ukraine munitions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/06/germany-news-drone-found-near-plane-with-ukraine-munitions",
        "published": "2026-08-06T07:34:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Semafor",
        "title": "Drone bomb allegedly linked to Russia found at German airport",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/06/drone-bomb-allegedly-linked-to-russia-found-at-german-airport",
        "published": "2026-08-06T12:31:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Maverick",
        "title": "Russia steps up disinformation before German elections, security sources say",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/06/russia-steps-up-disinformation-before-german-elections-security",
        "published": "2026-08-06T13:33:44.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News AU",
        "title": "An explosives-laden drone was found at a key German airport. Here's what we know",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/06/an-explosives-laden-drone-was-found-at-a-key-german-airport-heres",
        "published": "2026-08-06T15:12:19.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}