By Fatma Younis
Russian glide bombs struck a school serving as a humanitarian aid distribution center in the village of Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia region, on Monday, killing at least 31 civilians and leaving dozens missing, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday.
Rescue Efforts Hampered by Drones
Emergency workers searched for survivors on Tuesday under the threat of armed Russian drones, limiting operations to short bursts. Officials said it could take days to determine the exact death toll. The attack is the deadliest against civilians in the southern Zaporizhzhia region in nearly five years of war and may rank among the deadliest of the entire conflict.
Peace Talks Set for Abu Dhabi
Hours after the strike, U.S. peace envoy Steve Witkoff announced that negotiations involving the United States, Russia, and Ukraine would resume early next week in Abu Dhabi, the first such meeting since February. The talks will address postwar security arrangements and steps toward peace. Both the Russian and Ukrainian governments confirmed Tuesday they would send negotiators.
Zelensky Condemns Attack as War Continuation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strike on the humanitarian hub demonstrated Russia’s intention to continue the war. Russian forces hit the village with at least nine glide bombs, each carrying around 3,000 pounds of explosives. The attack came a day after a rare local cease-fire in the neighboring Kherson region ended.
