Russian Strikes Kill 18 in Ukraine as Zelenskyy Condemns Sabotaging of Peace Path

Eighteen people were killed on Monday, November 2, in a series of Russian strikes targeting a village in southeastern Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced, describing the bombardment as "utterly horrific." Zelenskyy explained on Telegram that the village had been subjected to repeated aerial bombings since morning, targeting a school used for humanitarian purposes where residents gathered to receive aid, and shared video footage documenting the destruction of the targeted buildings.

Undermining Hopes for Peace After Oleshky Truce

The strikes came the day after the expiration of a humanitarian truce in the city of Oleshky dedicated to civilian evacuations, which the Ukrainian president described as completely shattering "any hope for progress toward peace." Zelenskyy wrote on social media: "Following the humanitarian operation in Oleshky, some imagined that there was a possibility of taking new steps toward peace. But with this massacre, Russia sends the exact opposite signal: that it bets on more killing." He added: "This is further proof that Russia does not want de-escalation and does not seek true justice."

Targeting an Aid Distribution Center in Komyshuvakha

The strikes hit the town of Komyshuvakha in the Zaporizhzhia region, just as Moscow resumed fighting and shelling in the neighboring Kherson region following a rare localized pause negotiated to evacuate Russian-occupied Oleshky.

For his part, regional governor Mykhailo Semikin announced on Telegram that among the victims were "a police officer and two rescuers from the State Emergency Service," noting that "five people were injured and 27 others remain missing." Zelenskyy emphasized that the targeted building was the site where Komyshuvakha residents regularly gathered to receive humanitarian aid every week, insisting that "the Russians could not have been unaware of this."