Russian Airstrikes on Ukrainian Aid Center Kill 24

OPA WIRE, Nov 2 (OPA) — At least 24 people were killed when Russian forces dropped nine 3,000kg aerial bombs on a humanitarian aid center in the village of Komyshuvakha. The strike, which targeted a local school serving as a distribution point, resulted in the deaths of two rescue workers and four police officers. Regional head Mykhailo Semikin confirmed that rescue teams remain on-site, though efforts to recover victims from the rubble have been hampered by persistent Russian drone attacks.

President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, stating that the Russian military was fully aware the facility was used for civilian aid. Zelensky noted that the strike involved a double-tap tactic, where a second wave of munitions hit the site while residents were sheltering. The Ukrainian State Emergency Service (DSNS) revised the death toll upward from an initial estimate of 18 as recovery operations progressed throughout the day.

This incident follows a recent joint evacuation operation in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky, which had briefly signaled a potential for localized de-escalation. Zelensky characterized the Komyshuvakha strike as a deliberate rejection of such efforts, asserting that the Russian military is prioritizing continued violence over diplomatic progress. The Russian Ministry of Defense has not issued a public statement regarding the strike.

Komyshuvakha, located in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, has been a frequent target during the ongoing conflict that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. As rescue teams continue to search for survivors, the attack underscores the persistent danger to civilian infrastructure in frontline villages. Local authorities report that five people remain injured, with an unknown number of individuals still unaccounted for beneath the debris.