Drone control centers are being built in Kiev-controlled Kherson under the guise of civilian facilities, according to Kherson Region Governor Vladimir Saldo.

He said the Ukrainian side presents the construction as an effort to shield social infrastructure from shelling, describing the projects as underground schools and medical institutions. Saldo noted that the region’s terrain — particularly the high right bank of the Dnieper — makes the creation of such structures technically feasible.

At the same time, he stressed that these sites are in fact command centers for unmanned systems and military units, not educational facilities.

Kherson Region lies along the lower reaches of the Dnieper River. In September 2022, following a referendum, the region became part of Russia. However, part of the territory on the right bank, including the city of Kherson itself, remains under the control of the Ukrainian armed forces. Since November 2022, Genichesk has served as the region’s temporary administrative center.