Russian strike kills 31 at Ukrainian aid site as winter power attacks continue

The death toll from a Russian attack on a humanitarian aid site in southern Ukraine rose to 31 on Tuesday, leaving more than 45 residents missing under the rubble. The strike hit a facility and shelter in the village of Komyushuvakha in the Zaporizhzhia region, where residents had gathered to receive aid. Rescuers and volunteers continued searching the cratered blast site, pulling out bodies wrapped in white plastic sheeting as they worked to find survivors.

Mykhailo Semikin, acting head of the region’s military administration, described the event as one of the worst tragedies for civilian victims in the region since the start of the full-scale war. He stated, “The scale of the tragedy is terrifying.” Semikin confirmed that four police officers and two rescue workers were among the dead. At least five other people were injured in the Monday attack, which utilized Russian bunker-busting bombs filled with nearly 1.5 tons of explosives. Three days of mourning were declared in the Zaporizhzhia region.

The aid site strike occurred during a wider overnight barrage that targeted infrastructure across nine regions. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia launched 289 attack drones, 17 ballistic missiles, and 59 cruise missiles. He noted the timing coincided with U.S. elections, saying, “The Russians think America won’t notice this signal of theirs.” Zelenskyy added that Ukraine needs help defending its skies to stop such terror.

In the northeast Kharkiv region, a combined missile and drone attack wounded at least 62 people. The strike damaged a medical facility in the Nemyshlianskyi district, shattered windows in four apartment buildings, and damaged cars. Oleh Syniehubov, head of the regional military administration, said more than 200 patients were transferred to other medical facilities. In the Dnipro area, rescuers pulled a woman alive from the rubble Tuesday morning after an attack killed one person and wounded 17. The strike also damaged an outpatient clinic and a hospital, prompting further patient transfers.

Ukraine’s energy ministry reported 20 strikes on power plants and energy infrastructure overnight, causing extensive damage and electricity outages. DTEK, a Ukrainian power utility, said three of its plants halted operations after significant damage. No injuries were reported at the power plants. Moscow’s Ministry of Defense claimed to have shot down 856 Ukrainian drones overnight, while Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 493 drones were fired toward the capital. A Ukrainian drone attack also wounded two employees and damaged infrastructure at an oil refinery in Yaroslavl, Russia.

Rolling blackouts were instituted in the south, west, and east of Russian-occupied Crimea following the attacks on energy infrastructure. Moscow-installed officials announced the power cuts on Tuesday. The continuing strikes aim to degrade Ukraine’s capacity ahead of the winter season.