Zelenskyy reports 18 killed in Russian bombing of humanitarian aid centre in Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned a series of Russian aerial bomb attacks on a humanitarian aid distribution centre in the country's south-eastern Zaporizhzhia region, saying the strikes killed at least 18 people and injured five.

The attacks targeted a school in the settlement of Komyshuvakha, where residents who remained in the area regularly gathered to receive humanitarian assistance.

In a statement on Monday, 2 November, Zelenskyy said the settlement had been hit several times since morning, with a second wave of nine bombs striking a shelter where people had taken cover following the initial attack.

“An utterly horrific Russian attack on the settlement of Komyshuvakha in the Zaporizhzhia region. Since this morning, the settlement has been hit several times by aerial bombs. The strikes targeted a school used for humanitarian purposes – people were receiving humanitarian aid there,” he said.

“After the first aerial bomb strike, there was a double-tap strike with nine more bombs, specifically targeting the shelter where people were taking cover. Tragically, 18 people have already been reported killed. My condolences to their families and loved ones. Five people have been injured.”

Zelenskyy said rescue operations were continuing, with military personnel, emergency responders and special services deployed to search for survivors trapped at the site.

The Ukrainian leader accused Russian forces of knowing that the school was used every week to distribute humanitarian assistance to residents who had remained in Komyshuvakha despite the ongoing war.

He described the attack as further evidence that Moscow was not interested in de-escalation or pursuing a genuine path towards peace.

The death toll was subsequently revised upwards by Ukrainian authorities. Later reports from emergency services put the number killed at 26, including two rescue workers and four police officers, while five people were injured.

The attack comes as Ukraine continues to defend itself against Russia's full-scale invasion, which began on February 24, 2022, when Russian forces launched a military offensive across several fronts, entering from Russia, Belarus and Crimea.

However, the conflict predates the 2022 invasion. Fighting had been ongoing in eastern Ukraine since 2014, following Russia's annexation of Crimea and the emergence of Russian-backed separatist forces in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The full-scale invasion expanded the conflict into a wider war, with Russian forces targeting Ukrainian cities, infrastructure and military positions. Moscow has also sought to consolidate control over parts of the country's east and south, including territories it claims to have annexed.

Zaporizhzhia is among the four Ukrainian regions Russia declared annexed in 2022, alongside Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson, although it does not control the entire region.

The conflict has left large areas exposed to continued military operations and forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes.

The war has also placed civilians in frontline communities at risk, particularly residents who depend on humanitarian organisations and local distribution centres for food, shelter and other essential supplies.

Zelenskyy linked the latest attack to a recent humanitarian operation in Oleshky, saying the developments following that mission had offered an opportunity to demonstrate that progress towards peace was possible.

He argued that the killings had instead sent the opposite message, suggesting that Russia was not prepared to pursue steps that could reduce hostilities.

“After the humanitarian operation in Oleshky, there was a moment when the next steps could have shown that progress toward peace was possible. With these killings, Russia is sending an entirely opposite signal: Russia is counting on more killings,” he said.

The Ukrainian president called on the international community to respond to the attack by increasing pressure on Russia and maintaining support for Ukraine.

“There must be a response to this – a response from the world. A strong and tough response. A response to Russia. And support for Ukraine. We must protect lives. Thank you to everyone who is helping,” he concluded.