On 6 October 2026, a film crew from Suspilne Zaporizhzhia came under attack by Russian FPV drones while documenting the aftermath of Russian shelling in the settlement of Kushuhum, around seven kilometres from Zaporizhzhia, according to Suspilne.
The crew consisted of correspondent Anastasiia Potapenko, camera operator Maksym Savchuk, driver Oleksandr Denysenko and safety officer Daniil Levchenko. Within minutes of beginning their reporting assignment, the journalists came under attack by Russian FPV drones and were unable to leave the settlement for more than three hours.
According to Potapenko, the crew managed to film several damaged houses before being forced to hide from the drones under trees and in bushes. One of the drones struck near their vehicle. The journalist said that although the team had prepared for the assignment by putting on protective vests, they had not anticipated the intensity of the drone activity.
“It is one thing when you hear a drone somewhere in the distance. But when you hear them constantly, when they circle and hover directly above you and your colleagues, it is a completely different level of fear,” Potapenko said.
Suspilne Zaporizhzhia chief editor Aliona Natalukha said the security situation in Kushuhum had deteriorated significantly over the previous six months. According to her, the crew was unable to move freely because people wearing protective vests and carrying cameras had become targets for Russian forces.