Up to 200 drones a day: how the Russian Federation is attacking farmers in Kherson region

Farmers working in a field. Illustrative photo: Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine/Facebook

For farmers in front-line Kherson region, Russian drones have become the main threat while working in the fields. Unmanned aerial vehicles attack people and equipment, burn combine harvesters, and destroy crops. Near one farm they can record up to 200 UAVs per day.

This was reported by the head of the Association of Farmers of Kherson Region, Viktor Hordiienko, in an investigation by Nash Sprava journalist Diana Lanovets of Novyny.LIVE.

Advertisement

How the Russians attack farmers in Kherson region

Viktor Hordiienko said that drone attacks have now become the main problem for the region’s agricultural producers. According to him, the issue of mines in the fields is no longer as urgent as it used to be.

The head of the Association of Farmers of Kherson Region noted that near his farm they can record up to 200 drones per day. As a result of Russian attacks, about 80% of his wheat has already been destroyed.

Part of the crop that survived cannot be harvested by farmers because of the constant danger.

“When it comes to mines, the problem today is not present at about 90%. The problem today is one thing — drones, drone attacks that destroy combine harvesters, equipment, kill people every day…,” Hordiienko said.

Farmers have become the “air defense” for their farms

Member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy Dmytro Solomchuk said that before the full-scale war, farmers grew wheat, sunflower, and vegetables.

However, because of the war, farmers initially had to learn to clear mines from fields on their own. Now they have effectively also become the “air defense” for their farms and communities, shooting down FPV drones.

The death of Viktor Hordiienko’s father

Hero of Ukraine Oleksandr Hordiienko — Viktor’s father — was killed by a Russian drone strike. He worked in the field until the end.

According to Viktor, the Russians hunted his father for about two years. During that time Oleksandr personally shot down 200 drones that were flying toward him, the community, and other people.

Viktor continues his father’s work. At the same time, he noted that because of the constant danger and insufficient state support, it is already mentally difficult for him to keep working in the field.

Novyny.LIVE reported that almost 470 thousand hectares of agricultural land in Ukraine need demining, but some fields in deoccupied territories were cleared by farmers themselves. They did not receive compensation for such demining, since payments are provided only for work done by certified sappers. At the same time, in 2026 the year, UAH 1,7 billion was allocated for humanitarian demining, and this year under the 100% compensation program only 31 contracts were signed for about 4900 hectares.

Novyny.LIVE also wrote that at the end of August 2026 year, international partners confirmed the allocation of about 10,5 million dollars for temporary storage of this year’s harvest of small and medium agricultural producers from front-line regions. Funds will also be directed to purchase necessary equipment, while Ukraine and the World Bank are working on mobilizing another 25 million dollars to expand support. The assistance should partially solve the storage problem for the harvest, which arose, among other things, due to complications with its export.