STOP HUMAN SAFARI / SAVE KHERSON campaign | Tallinn

Dear friends!

We invite you all to join the global campaign STOP HUMAN SAFARI / SAVE KHERSON on 13 December at 15:00 at Kino Sõprus, which takes place around the world on 13–14 December in protest against a new war crime – Russia's use of small commercial drones to hunt civilians in Ukraine.

The campaign was initiated by American journalist and filmmaker of Ukrainian origin (born in Kherson) Zarina Zabrisky, author of the documentary "Kherson: Human Safari". The campaign in Tallinn is coordinated by civic activist from Kherson Andriy Yatsenko and the Association of Ukrainian Organisations in Estonia!

The aim of STOP HUMAN SAFARI / SAVE KHERSON is to warn the international community about new dangers and to strengthen legal mechanisms to prevent drone attacks on civilians. These attacks are part of a wider humanitarian and security crisis in Kherson caused by continuous Russian strikes with artillery, missiles and other weapons. Homes, infrastructure and critical services have been destroyed again and again, leaving civilians in constant danger.

This tactic of tracking and killing people at close range using civilian-type drones has been documented by the UN and Human Rights Watch. The UN has confirmed that Russia's drone campaign constitutes war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The main demands of the campaign are: an immediate end to Russian drone attacks on civilians; bringing those responsible for these crimes to justice through international courts; comprehensive support for Ukraine from the states of the world in protecting civilians and providing Ukraine with air defence systems.

The "human safari" in Kherson is a warning: using cheap technology as a weapon endangers all cities in Europe and the world! Recent reports of Russian and unidentified drones violating the airspace of Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and other European countries underline the urgent need for global attention.

More than 20 cities around the world will take part, drawing the attention of the media and political leaders of different countries to Russia's war crimes. Each event will add momentum to the response, turning awareness into accountability.

The campaign will be preceded by a screening of the restored version of "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" by director Sergei Parajanov, considered a masterpiece of Ukrainian poetic cinema.

The film premiered in 1965 in Kyiv, and 60 years later we will show in Tallinn the restored version of this cult film, which has been recognised as technologically the best in the world. It is not only a poetic drama rich in Ukrainian folklore and ethnography but also a very relevant film today, reminding us of our identity, our strength and the importance of unity!