KYIV, Ukraine – At least 26 people have been killed after Russian aerial strikes hit a school being used as a humanitarian aid distribution centre and civilian shelter in southern Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
The attack struck the village of Komyshuvakha in the Zaporizhzhia region on Monday, November 2, with Ukrainian authorities reporting that five people were injured and dozens were initially feared missing.
The school had been serving residents who remained in the frontline settlement, with humanitarian assistance distributed there every week.
Zelensky said Russian forces first struck the school before launching another wave of attacks on the shelter where people had taken refuge.
He described the bombing as an “utterly horrific” attack, accusing Moscow of targeting a location where it knew civilians gathered to receive assistance.
Death Toll Rises as Rescuers Search for Survivors
The reported death toll increased throughout Monday as emergency teams recovered more bodies from the wreckage.
Zelensky initially reported 18 deaths. Ukraine’s State Emergency Service later confirmed 24 fatalities, including two rescuers and four police officers.
In his evening address, the Ukrainian president raised the figure to 26.
Five people were reported injured, while regional officials initially said 27 people were missing as rescue operations continued.
Regional head Mykhailo Semikin said at least nine heavy aerial bombs had struck the settlement.
The rescue operation was complicated by further Russian drone activity in the area, forcing emergency teams to suspend their work several times.
Images released by Ukrainian emergency services showed extensive destruction, including a large crater and rescuers working through the rubble.
Zelensky Links Attack to Failed Hopes for De-escalation
The Ukrainian president said the bombing came at a time when recent humanitarian cooperation between Kyiv and Moscow had offered some hope of further progress.
He referred to an operation that enabled civilians to leave the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in the southern Kherson region during a temporary ceasefire brokered with the involvement of US First Lady Melania Trump.
Zelensky said the operation had created an opportunity for further steps towards peace, but Monday’s attack sent the opposite message.
“With such killings, Russia is sending the exact opposite signal – Russia is counting on further killings,” he said.
He also argued that Russian forces could not have been unaware that residents regularly gathered at the school to receive humanitarian assistance.
The Ukrainian leader called for an international response, saying the attack demonstrated that Moscow was not interested in de-escalation.
Rescue Workers and Police Among the Dead
The deaths of emergency responders and police officers added to the impact of the attack.
According to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service, two rescuers and four police officers were among those killed.
The responders had been working at the scene as emergency teams attempted to locate survivors and recover victims.
The repeated attacks also raised concerns about the safety of personnel involved in rescue operations in frontline communities.
A day of mourning was declared across the Zaporizhzhia region for Tuesday, November 3.
New Peace Talks Expected in Abu Dhabi
The bombing comes as diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine remain uncertain.
Russian and Ukrainian delegations are expected to resume talks in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11, with the United States involved in the negotiations.
According to US officials, discussions are expected to cover ending the war, post-war security arrangements and de-escalation.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, triggering a war that has caused widespread destruction, civilian deaths and displacement.
