At least 26 people have been killed after Russian heavy aerial bombs struck a humanitarian aid distribution centre in the village of Komyshuvakha in Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region, according to Ukrainian officials.
Regional head Mykhailo Semikin reported that five people were injured and 27 were initially reported missing following the strike, which involved at least nine 3,000kg aerial bombs hitting the site. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the assault as "utterly horrific," detailing that an initial strike targeted a local school utilized for humanitarian needs, followed by a second strike on the shelter where residents had gathered.
President Zelensky posted video footage showing rescue crews searching through rubble alongside a massive crater created by Monday's attack. While Zelensky initially stated the death toll stood at 18, Ukraine’s state emergency service DSNS later confirmed 24 deaths, including two rescuers and four police officers. By late Monday, Zelensky confirmed in a video address that the death toll had risen to 26 known dead, with grave concerns that the figure could increase further as emergency crews search for missing people trapped beneath the debris.
Describing the bombardment as a "terrible tragedy" for Komyshuvakha, Semikin confirmed that search and rescue workers were actively clearing debris at the site. However, rescue efforts were forced to halt multiple times due to persistent Russian drone activity overhead. In response to the high casualties, regional authorities declared a day of mourning for Tuesday across the entire Zaporizhzhia region. The Russian military has not issued any public comment regarding the attack.
Zelensky stressed that Russian forces were well aware of the civilian activities taking place at the target area, noting that local residents in Komyshuvakha gather at the location every Monday to receive weekly humanitarian assistance. "This is yet another proof that Russia does not want any de-escalation," Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian leader contrasted the deadly assault with a recent successful joint Russian-Ukrainian civilian evacuation operation in the Russia-occupied southern city of Oleshky, which took place during a temporary ceasefire brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump. Zelensky noted that after that operation, "there was a moment when the next steps could show that peace is possible." He added, "With such killings, Russia is sending the exact opposite signal – Russia is counting on further killings."
The attack comes amid an escalation in strikes by Moscow since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russian forces have intensified their aerial bombardments as Kyiv faces severe shortages of Western-supplied air defense interceptors needed to counter incoming missiles. Meanwhile, delegations from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are scheduled to resume peace talks in the coming days after negotiations were suspended in February, though no major breakthroughs are anticipated at the upcoming meetings, which are expected to take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
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