Russia is reportedly dropping booby-trapped wet wipes and power banks via drones in Kherson, sparking fears of a cynical new psychological war on civilians
Vladimir Putin’s forces have sparked outrage amid claims they are dropping explosive-filled wet wipe packs and power banks onto Ukrainian streets.
The deadly booby-trapped items have reportedly been scattered across the war-torn city of Kherson over recent days, marking an escalation in what charity bosses have called “crimes against civilians“.
Charity group Hope For Ukraine has accused the Kremlin of deliberately targeting innocent residents and children, who risk picking up the everyday objects by mistake. There are also fears that the Ukrainian military is being targeted with hazardous counterfeit charging packs engineered to explode on contact.
While Russian troops have bombarded Kherson with anti-personnel mines for nearly two years, it marks the first time explosives are said to have been heavily disguised inside mundane household goods.
Yuriy Boyechko, CEO of Hope For Ukraine, said the alleged tactic represents an evolution in Russian terror, shifting to hidden devices because local residents had learned to spot and avoid uncamouflaged mines.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: “In Kherson, we are seeing the development of terror against civilians. In springtime Russians would drop petal mines, we call them gingerbread mines.
“The public were alerted and people were staying away. Now from around mid-June we have been seeing the Russians hiding explosives in things such as boxes of napkins.
“Then three days ago we received an alert from city officials that they had discovered a power bank on the side of the street with explosives inside.
“It has become a very disturbing tendency and is very dangerous for children walking along the side of the street or even adults.
“Unsuspecting pedestrians may pick them up or step on them and get themselves killed. This is a war crime against civilians. The city is frightened to death.”
Strategically vital due to its location near the Dnipro River and Crimea, Kherson was captured by Russia in March 2022 before being liberated by a Ukrainian counter-offensive later that year. It is understood the makeshift bombs are now being ferried into the city and dropped via drones.
Mr Boyechko branded the strategy a form of “psychological warfare”, adding: “Russia is not winning the battle on the battlefield against the Ukrainian army so they are using Kherson as a testing ground in their fight against civilians. These tactics have never been used in history before. It is psychological warfare.”
Local officials have issued urgent safety warnings to the public. Yaroslav Shanko, Head of Kherson City Military Administration, said: “The calculation is simple and cynical: a person may mistake such an object for a lost charging device, pick it up, or try to use it. The consequences could be fatal.”
He added: “I urge parents to talk to their children. Explain to them that you cannot pick up any items found on the street, even if they look safe or useful.”
The harrowing discoveries come alongside heavy Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia, which killed at least three people, injured 15 and battered critical infrastructure.