Russian strikes on a school used as a humanitarian aid distribution centre in Komyshuvakha, in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast, killed at least 24 people on 2 November, including two rescue workers and four police officers, Ukraine's State Emergency Service (DSNS) reported. Five others were injured, two of them rescue workers, according to the DSNS.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces launched several aerial bomb attacks on the settlement through the morning, initially striking the school where aid was regularly distributed to local residents. After that first strike, he said, Russian forces dropped another nine aerial bombs on a shelter where people had taken refuge. He called it an "exceptionally horrific strike" and said it was proof Russia did not want to de-escalate the situation. "Russian forces could not have been unaware that local residents who remained in Komyshuvakha received humanitarian aid there every week," Zelensky said.
The two rescue workers killed were Denys Konovalenko and Oleksii Sushchevskyi, both 44, the DSNS said. According to the service, rescue workers and police officers had arrived at the scene when the threat of another Russian strike emerged. The rescuers took shelter, but Russian forces carried out further strikes on the same site. The attack destroyed a gymnasium, an outbuilding and a fire truck, and damaged the school building.
Komyshuvakha lies about 20 kilometres from the front line and has been considered a front-line settlement since November 2025 amid repeated Russian guided aerial bomb attacks, according to the Zaporizhzhia Investigation Centre. Russia frequently uses the guided bombs, known as KABs, against front-line areas; fitted with wing kits, the bombs can travel tens of kilometres, allowing Russian aircraft to strike targets from a distance while staying outside the range of air defence systems.
Konovalenko had served in Ukraine's civil protection service for nearly 12 years, while Sushchevskyi had worked in fire and rescue units in Zaporizhzhia since 2013. Both had received state awards for their service. They are survived by their wives and four children between the two families, according to the service.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The toll makes this one of the deadliest single strikes reported in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in recent months, and it hit a site used for weekly civilian aid distribution.
- Two rescue workers and four police officers were killed after responding to the first strike, a pattern in which emergency crews are hit by follow-up attacks.
- Front-line settlements around 20 kilometres from the contact line remain within reach of Russian guided bombs, which Ukrainian air defences struggle to counter.
Background
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022, has left front-line communities in the east and south exposed to daily aerial attack. Moscow's forces make extensive use of guided aerial bombs, Soviet-era munitions fitted with wing kits that let aircraft release them from far behind the front. Settlements close to the contact line, such as Komyshuvakha, have been repeatedly struck while still hosting civilians who have not evacuated.
What to Watch
- Whether the DSNS revises the casualty figures as search and rescue work at the site continues.
- The pace of guided bomb attacks on front-line settlements in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, where Komyshuvakha has been treated as a front-line area since November 2025.
- How Ukrainian authorities characterise the strike in communications to international partners, given Zelensky's framing of it as evidence Russia does not want to de-escalate.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedRussian bombs killed at least 24 people at a school used as an aid centre in Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia Oblast.Kyiv Independent: “Russian strikes on a school used as a humanitarian aid distribution center in Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, killed at least 24 people”
- SupportedThe DSNS reported that two rescue workers and four police officers were among those killed, and that five others were injured, including two rescue workers.Kyiv Independent: “including two rescue workers and four police officers, on Nov. 2, Ukraine's State Emergency Service (DSNS) reported. Five others were injured, including two rescue workers, according to DSNS .”
- SupportedThe attack took place on 2 November.Kyiv Independent: “on Nov. 2, Ukraine's State Emergency Service (DSNS) reported.”
- SupportedZelensky said Russian forces launched several aerial bomb attacks through the morning, first striking a school where aid was regularly distributed.Kyiv Independent: “President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces launched several aerial bomb attacks on the settlement throughout the morning, initially striking a school where humanitarian aid was regularly distributed to local residents.”
- SupportedZelensky said Russian forces dropped another nine aerial bombs on a shelter after the first strike.Kyiv Independent: “Following the initial strike, Russian forces dropped another nine aerial bombs on a shelter where people were taking refuge, Zelensky said.”
- SupportedZelensky called the attack an “exceptionally horrific strike.”Kyiv Independent: “He called it an "exceptionally horrific strike," saying it was proof Russia did not want to de-escalate the situation.”
- SupportedZelensky said, “Russian forces could not have been unaware that local residents who remained in Komyshuvakha received humanitarian aid there every week.”Kyiv Independent: “"Russian forces could not have been unaware that local residents who remained in Komyshuvakha received humanitarian aid there every week," Zelensky said.”
- SupportedThe two rescue workers killed were Denys Konovalenko and Oleksii Sushchevskyi, both 44.Kyiv Independent: “Among those killed were two rescue workers, Denys Konovalenko and Oleksii Sushchevskyi, both 44, DSNS said .”
- SupportedThe DSNS said rescuers and police officers arrived when another strike threat emerged; rescuers took shelter, and Russian forces then struck the same site again.Kyiv Independent: “According to the DSNS, rescue workers and police officers had arrived at the scene when the threat of another Russian strike emerged. The rescuers took shelter, but Russian forces carried out further strikes on the same site.”
- SupportedThe attack destroyed a gymnasium, an outbuilding and a fire truck, and damaged the school building.Kyiv Independent: “The attack destroyed a gymnasium, an outbuilding, and a fire truck, while also damaging the school building.”
- SupportedKomyshuvakha is about 20 kilometres from the front line and has been considered a front-line settlement since November 2025 amid repeated Russian guided aerial bomb attacks.Kyiv Independent: “Komyshuvakha is located about 20 kilometers from the front line and has been considered a front-line settlement since November 2025 amid repeated Russian guided aerial bomb attacks”
- SupportedRussia frequently uses guided aerial bombs known as KABs; fitted with wing kits, they can travel tens of kilometres, allowing Russian aircraft to strike from a distance while staying outside air-defence range.Kyiv Independent: “Russia frequently uses guided aerial bombs , known as KABs , to attack front-line areas. Fitted with wing kits, these bombs can travel tens of kilometers, allowing Russian aircraft to strike targets from a distance while staying outside the range of air defense systems.”