Rescuers worked through a second night searching for survivors at an aid distribution site in southern Ukraine destroyed by Russian strikes on Monday, with the death toll reaching 31 and more than 45 residents still missing in the village of Komyshuvakha in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Emergency workers and volunteers picked through debris at the cratered blast sites, pulling bodies from the rubble and carrying them away in white plastic sheeting. Three days of mourning were declared in Zaporizhzhia. The dead included four police officers and two rescue workers, said Mykhailo Semikin, acting head of the region's military administration, who described the scale of the tragedy as "terrifying." At least five people were hurt. Rescue efforts were interrupted Tuesday when Russian drones forced soldiers to halt recovery operations and open fire. Baptist pastor Vladyslav Makhovskyi, who joined the search, called the attack "truly devastating," saying the shelter, which had internet access, "was a place they trusted."
The attack, which used bunker-busting bombs, came after the expiry of a six-day ceasefire in Russian-occupied Oleshky that had allowed trapped residents to evacuate, the most significant truce between Kyiv and Moscow since 2022. It also came days before US-mediated peace talks scheduled for November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia launched 289 attack drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles across nine regions, triggering emergency power cuts. Ukraine's energy ministry said 20 strikes hit 10 regions overnight, and power utility DTEK said three of its plants halted operations.
In the northeastern Kharkiv region, a Russian missile and drone attack wounded at least 62 people, local authorities said, with more than 200 patients transferred after a medical facility was damaged. In the Dnipro area, rescuers pulled a woman alive from the rubble after an attack that killed one person and wounded 17, local authorities said.
Russia's Defence Ministry said it shot down 856 Ukrainian drones overnight. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 493 drones were fired toward the capital. A Ukrainian drone attack wounded two employees at an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, regional governor Mikhail Yevrayev said, and Moscow-installed officials reported rolling blackouts in Russian-occupied Crimea after attacks on energy infrastructure.
Zelensky began consultations with European leaders in Germany, meeting Chancellor Friedrich Merz and addressing the Berlin Security Conference. He said Ukraine's priorities for the talks were halting strikes on energy and critical infrastructure, unblocking Black Sea grain shipments and expanding prisoner exchanges. "Ukraine will never surrender," he said. Asked if he still believes the United States can bring an end to the war, he replied: "President Trump is still president," adding that America has "huge influence and power" to push Russian President Vladimir Putin toward negotiations.
US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, confirmed the dates of the talks in Abu Dhabi, which are to focus on postwar security arrangements, de-escalation and humanitarian efforts. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed a Russian delegation will attend. The European Commission said it would host a meeting Wednesday with officials from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the European Union, NATO, the United States and the World Bank to discuss postwar reconstruction.
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Russian munitions launched across nine regions, according to President Zelensky
munitions
Source: President Volodymyr Zelensky
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Analysis
Why This Matters
The strike on a civilian aid shelter and the renewed attacks on power plants signal intensifying humanitarian danger as winter approaches, with emergency power cuts and rolling blackouts reported.
The attacks form the backdrop to the first US-mediated peace talks since February, testing whether either side is willing to de-escalate.
With hospitals damaged and energy infrastructure hit, civilian access to power, heating and medical care is at stake.
Background
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, and the war has continued for more than four and a half years. Over that period Russia has repeatedly struck Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, while Ukraine has carried out long-range drone attacks inside Russia. The six-day Oleshky ceasefire, which expired just before the Komyshuvakha attack, was the most significant truce between the two sides since 2022.
Key Perspectives
President Volodymyr Zelensky: Called the strikes "further proof that Russia wants no de-escalation" and said Russia "will never stop its missile strikes" unless Ukraine gets help to defend its skies. He said Ukraine had offered to extend the Oleshky ceasefire, "but this was the answer: new attacks, new strikes, new killings of our people."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov: Confirmed a Russian delegation will attend the US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi.
Russia's Defence Ministry: Said it shot down 856 Ukrainian drones overnight; Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 493 drones were fired toward the capital.
What to Watch
The US-mediated peace talks scheduled for November 10-11 in Abu Dhabi, and whether strikes continue in the run-up to them.
The European Commission-hosted reconstruction meeting on Wednesday with France, Germany, the UK, the EU, NATO, the US and the World Bank.
Whether any new humanitarian ceasefire or aid corridor is agreed after the expiration of the Oleshky truce.
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 11 supported.
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Reports differThe death toll from the attack reached 31.Just In: “At least 33 people have been killed, and 50 people remain buried in the rubble following the attack, Mr Zelenskyy said in Berlin on Tuesday, local time.”
SupportedThe attack was at an aid distribution site in Komyshuvakha, in the Zaporizhzhia region.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Monday’s attacks on a shelter and former school with bunker-busting bombs came as people were lined up for aid in Komyshuvakha, a village in the Zaporizhzhia region.”
SupportedThe attack came days before US-mediated talks, while a fresh wave of strikes targeted power plants.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “As Ukraine prepared for a new round of US brokered peace negotiations next week [...] a wave of strikes over the last two days targeted power plants across the country”
SupportedSemikin described the scale of the tragedy as “terrifying.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““The scale of the tragedy is terrifying,” said Mykhailo Semikin, acting head of the region’s military administration, in an online post.”
SupportedFour police officers and two rescue workers were among the dead, and at least five people were hurt.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The dead included four police officers and two rescue workers, Semikin said. At least five people were hurt.”
SupportedMakhovskyi called the attack “truly devastating.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “He told The Associated Press the attack on the shelter was “truly devastating” and a shock to residents who had sought cover there.”
SupportedMakhovskyi said the shelter “was a place they trusted.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The shelter was sturdy and had provided internet access and other assistance, and “was a place they trusted,” Makhovskyi said.”
SupportedZelensky said Russia launched 289 attack drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles across nine regions.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Russia launched 289 attack drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles across nine regions, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an online post”
SupportedZelensky said, “Ukraine will never surrender.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Zelenskyy told the Berlin Security Conference that even though his country is experiencing an extremely difficult period, “Ukraine will never surrender.””
SupportedAsked whether he believed the US could end the war, Zelensky replied, “President Trump is still president,” and said America has “huge influence and power” to push Putin toward negotiations.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Asked if he still believes the US can bring an end to the war, Zelenskyy replied: “President Trump is still president.” He added that “America has huge influence and power” to push Russian President Vladimir Putin toward negotiations.”
SupportedThe US-mediated talks are scheduled for November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi and are to focus on postwar security arrangements, de-escalation and humanitarian efforts.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, confirmed the dates of the talks, with negotiations to focus on postwar security arrangements, de-escalation and humanitarian efforts.”