At least 26 people have been killed and five injured after Russian aerial bombs struck a humanitarian aid distribution centre in the village of Komyshuvakha, in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region, according to Ukrainian officials.
The attack, which took place on Monday, involved at least nine aerial bombs weighing approximately 3,000kg each, regional head Mykhailo Semikin said. A further 27 people were initially reported missing, raising fears that the death toll could increase as rescue teams continued searching through the rubble.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the incident as “utterly horrific” and accused Russia of deliberately striking a location where civilians gathered to receive humanitarian assistance.
Second Strike Hit Area Where Civilians Were Sheltering
According to Zelensky, the first bomb struck a local school that had been repurposed for humanitarian activities. A second attack then hit the area where people had taken shelter.
Images and video shared by the Ukrainian president showed a massive crater at the site, while emergency workers searched the damaged area for survivors.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service, known as DSNS, initially confirmed 24 deaths, including two rescuers and four police officers. Zelensky later said the confirmed death toll had risen to 26.
Five people were reported injured, while dozens were initially unaccounted for. Regional authorities warned that people could still be trapped beneath the debris.
The Russian military had not publicly commented on the reported attack at the time of publication.
Rescue Operations Disrupted by Further Drone Attacks
Emergency crews faced additional difficulties while working at the scene. Semikin said rescue operations had been interrupted several times because of Russian drone activity in the area.
He described the bombing as a terrible tragedy for the village and confirmed that search efforts were continuing.
A day of mourning was declared across the Zaporizhzhia region for Tuesday, following the deaths.
The attack has renewed concerns about the safety of civilians and humanitarian facilities in areas affected by Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Zelensky Says Attack Undermines Hopes for De-escalation
Zelensky said Russian forces could not have been unaware that residents remaining in Komyshuvakha regularly gathered at the location to receive humanitarian aid.
He argued that the bombing demonstrated Moscow’s lack of interest in reducing hostilities, saying the attack sent a message directly opposed to the possibility of de-escalation.
The Ukrainian president also referred to a recent joint Russian-Ukrainian operation to evacuate civilians from the Russian-occupied southern city of Oleshky. The operation took place during a temporary ceasefire reportedly brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump.
According to Zelensky, the evacuation had offered a brief indication that cooperation between the two sides could still make humanitarian progress possible.
However, he said the latest attack had sent the opposite signal, reinforcing concerns that further violence would continue.
Ukraine, Russia and US Expected to Resume Peace Talks
The bombing comes as diplomatic efforts to end the war remain uncertain. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the United States are expected to resume negotiations in the coming days, following the suspension of talks in February.
The discussions are likely to take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, although expectations for a significant breakthrough remain limited.
Meanwhile, Russia has continued intensifying its attacks on Ukrainian territory. Kyiv is also facing pressure on its air defence capabilities, with reports indicating that supplies of Western-provided missile interceptors have become increasingly limited.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, the conflict has caused widespread destruction, civilian casualties and repeated damage to essential infrastructure.
The latest bombing in Komyshuvakha highlights the continuing risks faced by civilians, even as diplomatic efforts seek to establish conditions for a possible ceasefire.
With rescue operations ongoing and the reported number of missing people still a concern, the full human cost of the attack may not yet be known.
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