Ukraine counts 26 killed after horrific Russian attack on Ukrainian aid centre
Rescue efforts continue at site
Ukrainian emergency officials confirmed the death toll had reached 26 after rescuers found two additional bodies in the wreckage. Heavy guided aerial bombs struck the aid distribution point in Komyshuvakha.
Emergency crews, police and military personnel were continuing to search for missing residents. Their work was repeatedly disrupted by threats from Russian reconnaissance and strike drones.
Zelensky condemns the strike
President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attack as “utterly horrific,” according to the report. He said the strike showed that Moscow “does not want any de-escalation.” The bombardment followed a rare humanitarian ceasefire that had enabled civilian evacuations from Russian-occupied Oleshky. The report said the attack casts a shadow over fragile diplomatic momentum.
Peace talks and cyber alerts
Proposed trilateral peace talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States were expected to take place in Abu Dhabi later in the week. The attack occurred shortly before those planned discussions.
Separately, hackers breached government-run mobile alert applications in Ukraine and Russia, sending false emergency warnings. Ukraine’s Air Force Command spokesman Yurii Ihnat said the breach did not affect defence operations, and officials restored the Ukrainian app after temporarily suspending it.
Key points
- At least 26 people died and dozens were injured in the strike on Komyshuvakha’s aid distribution site.
- Rescuers recovered two more bodies and continued searching amid drone threats.
- Zelensky condemned the attack and said it indicated Moscow did not want de-escalation.
- Proposed peace talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States were due in Abu Dhabi later in the week.