At least 29 people were killed in a Russian attack on an aid distribution point in Komyshuvakha, in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian authorities cited by the BBC have said. Search and rescue operations were still under way on Tuesday 3 November. Regional authorities said 10 people had been injured and 48 reported missing.
The attack took place on Monday 2 November. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the first strike hit a local school being used for humanitarian purposes. A subsequent strike reportedly hit a place where people were sheltering.
Regional head Mykhailo Semikin announced the updated death toll on Tuesday. According to the BBC, rescue operations were interrupted several times by Russian drone attacks nearby, hampering efforts to find people who might still be trapped beneath the rubble.
The figure of 29 deaths was not a final toll: it was announced while rescuers were still searching. Those reported missing are a separate category and should not be treated as confirmed fatalities or added to the death toll.
A day of mourning was declared across the Zaporizhzhia region for Tuesday. The casualty figures and the account of how the attack unfolded and who was responsible are based on statements by Ukrainian authorities reported by the BBC. At the time of the broadcaster’s report, the Russian military had not publicly commented on the attack.
