Farmer in Kharkiv region to sow only sunflower this spring as it “burns less” after Russian drone strikes

This spring, farmer Andrii Voronkin from the Lozova district of Kharkiv region plans to sow only sunflowers. According to him, the crop is less vulnerable to fires following Russian drone strikes, allowing him to reduce potential losses, Suspilne Kharkiv reports.

“In the spring, we will sow only sunflowers — it is better protected against drone strikes and burns less. We will not plant other crops such as soybeans, beans, or flax for now, because everything could burn down. So we will sow only sunflowers,” he said.

Voronkin farms land in the Blyzniuky community. Part of his fields is located near the frontline areas where Russian drone activity is regularly recorded.

“Most of my fields are located along roads where anti-drone nets have been installed. Right now, we are not thinking about the weather but about how to sow in the spring in fields where FPV drones, Shahed drones, and reconnaissance UAVs are already flying nearby. The security situation worries us more, because our district and community border Donetsk region, and unfortunately, we do not yet see that this season can be safely planted,” Voronkin said.

According to him, the farm has already suffered losses due to shelling — the most recent strike occurred on January 20, 2026.

“We are currently restoring warehouses after Russian attacks. We are installing power generators because the electricity supply is a major issue — we only have power for two to three hours a day. We are already planning to enter the fields at the end of February to fertilize winter wheat with ammonium nitrate and UAN. We will prepare for spring vegetation, crop protection, and fertilization,” Voronkin added.