Russian guided bombs hit aid center and shelter in Zaporizhzhia, killing at least 24, Ukrainian officials say

A localized ceasefire that let aid and evacuation missions reach Russian-occupied Oleshky in the Kherson region expired today, Nov. 2. On the same day, Russian bombs hit the village of Komyshuvakha in neighboring Zaporizhzhia region.

Ukraine's State Emergency Service (DSNS) confirmed 24 dead, including two rescuers and four police officers. Five people were injured. President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his late-Monday video address that 26 people were now known to have died. He had first put the toll at 18.

What happened in Komyshuvakha

According to Zelensky, Russian aircraft first struck a school used for humanitarian needs, where aid was handed out. A second attack followed on the shelter where people had gathered.

The number of bombs differs by account. Zelensky wrote that nine more bombs hit the shelter after the first strike. In a post on X he said 10 guided bombs targeted the area. Regional head Mykhailo Semikin said at least nine 3,000-kg aerial bombs hit the village.

The DSNS said rescuers and police had arrived at the scene when another strike threatened. The rescuers took cover, and Russian forces then hit the same site again. The attack destroyed a gymnasium, an outbuilding and a fire truck, and damaged the school building.

Two of the dead were rescue workers Denys Konovalenko and Oleksii Sushchevskyi, both 44, the DSNS said. Konovalenko had served in civil protection for nearly 12 years, and Sushchevskyi had worked in fire and rescue units in Zaporizhzhia since 2013. Both held state awards. Between them they leave two wives and four children.

The search continues under fire

Semikin said 27 people were initially reported missing, and other local officials put the figure nearer 20. He confirmed that "people are still under the rubble." Crews worked through the evening by flashlight.

Semikin said rescue teams had to halt operations several times because Russian drones struck the same area. Officials say the death toll could rise. Zaporizhzhia region has declared a day of mourning for Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Komyshuvakha sits about 20 kilometers from the front line. The Zaporizhzhia Investigation Center says it has been treated as a front-line settlement since November 2025 because of repeated Russian guided-bomb attacks. Those bombs carry wing kits that let them glide tens of kilometers, so aircraft can release them from outside the range of air defenses.

Zelensky's claim of intent, and Russia's position

Zelensky argued the strike was deliberate. "The Russians could not have been unaware that the local residents who remained in Komyshuvakha received humanitarian aid there every week," he said. He called it "further proof that Russia wants no de-escalation."

He tied the attack to the Oleshky operation, a joint Russian-Ukrainian civilian evacuation during a temporary truce brokered by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. "There was a moment when the next steps could have shown that progress toward peace was possible," Zelensky said. "With these killings, Russia is sending an entirely opposite signal: Russia is counting on more killings."

The Russian military has not publicly commented on the Komyshuvakha strike. Russia has consistently denied targeting civilians in the war. No Russian official has said what the target was. Zelensky is the only source who links the bombing to the end of the truce, and the Kherson ceasefire did not cover Zaporizhzhia.

Other attacks and a hacked alert system

Elsewhere on Monday, drone strikes injured 12 people in the Kharkiv region and damaged a refrigeration facility, greenhouses and homes. Five people were injured in Odesa, where a warehouse was hit. Authorities reported at least 17 people injured in drone attacks outside Komyshuvakha.

Russia's Defense Ministry said it shot down 212 Ukrainian drones overnight. Samara Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said local air defenses repelled an aerial attack and gave no further details.

The bombing followed cyberattacks on government-run emergency alert apps in both countries, late Sunday in Ukraine and early Monday in Russia. Ukrainians received fake warnings of radiation, a chemical threat and unrest in Kyiv. One Russian-language message read: "Hi! There will be a nuclear threat across Ukraine. Do not worry, the Oreshnik is incoming."

Ukraine said its app was running again after a temporary suspension. Russian authorities said work to restore theirs was continuing. A Russian Telegram channel with links to the country's security services said a group called Hitcore claimed responsibility for the Ukrainian breach. That claim is unverified, and the group's identity and motives are unclear. Authorities have not said whether the two attacks are connected.

The strain on Ukrainian civilian life is measurable. The Ukrainian Council of Shopping Centers said air raid alerts shut malls for 32.5% of their standard operating hours in October 2026, a record. That compares with 12.2% in October 2025.

The toll in Komyshuvakha is not final. Rescuers are still searching for the missing, and Semikin has not said how long the search will continue under drone threat.