Russian aerial bombs hit Ukrainian aid centre as death toll reaches 26

UPDATE - follow-up to Russian bombing kills 18 people at Ukraine aid centre, Kyiv says: At least 26 people were killed after Russian bombs struck an aid distribution centre in the southern Zaporizhzhia region. Five people were injured and 27 were initially reported missing following the attack on the village of Komyshuvakha.

What Happened

Regional head Mykhailo Semikin stated that at least nine 3,000kg aerial bombs hit the village. President Volodymyr Zelensky explained that a local school used for humanitarian needs was hit first, followed by a second attack on the place where people were sheltering. Video footage showed a huge crater and rescue teams searching through the rubble. Zelensky initially reported 18 deaths, but the state emergencies service DSNS later confirmed 24 dead—including two rescuers and four police officers—before the total rose to 26.

Reactions And Rescue

Zelensky called the strike utterly horrific and stated that Russian forces knew residents received aid there every Monday. Semikin described the incident as a terrible tragedy for the village. Rescue teams working at the scene had to stop their operations several times because of Russian drone attacks in the area. A day of mourning was declared for Tuesday across the Zaporizhzhia region, and the Russian military has not publicly commented on the attack.

Context

Peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the US are scheduled to resume in Abu Dhabi after being suspended since February. This escalation occurs as fighting continues in the region following the full-scale invasion launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin in February 2022.