If the citation has a format like this:

link-hint-open-link can only identify the citation as one link.

There is a function in org-ref-citation-link.el:

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(defun org-ref-jump-to-visible-key ()
  "Jump to a visible key with avy."
  (interactive)
  (avy-with avy-goto-key
    (avy-process
     (apply #'append
          (save-excursion
            (org-element-map (org-element-parse-buffer) 'link
              (lambda (c)
                (when (assoc (org-element-property :type c) org-ref-cite-types)
                  (goto-char (org-element-property :begin c))
                  (let* ((path (org-element-property :path c))
                         (data (org-ref-parse-cite-path path))
                         (references (plist-get data :references)))
                    (append (list (org-element-property :begin c))
                            (cl-loop for ref in references collect
                                     (progn
                                       (search-forward (plist-get ref :key))
                                       (match-beginning 0)))))))))))
    (avy--style-fn avy-style)))

So, the user can have finner control over the Dropping Zone (DZ).

A better solution has been post here.