In the village of Komyshuvakha in the Zaporizhzhia region, the death toll from the Russian air strikes on 2 November has risen to 33. According to preliminary reports, more than 50 people may still be trapped under the rubble of an underground school, which was being used as a humanitarian centre and shelter. This was announced on 3 November by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during a press conference in Berlin. The search and rescue operation has been ongoing for a second day, despite the threat of further strikes.
- On 2 November, Russian forces carried out a series of air strikes on Komyshuvakha in the Zaporizhzhia region.
- As of 3 November, 33 people have been confirmed dead.
- According to Zelenskyy, more than 50 people may still be trapped under the rubble.
- The Russians used FAB-500 aerial bombs and three-tonne FAB-3000 bombs.
- Among the dead were two rescue workers and four police officers.
The Russians attacked a school where people were receiving humanitarian aid
The tragedy occurred on the morning of 2 November, when residents Komyshuvakha They gathered outside the local school to receive humanitarian aid. A resilience centre was operating on the premises, where people were given food and provided with social and medical support.
According to the acting head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration Mikhail Semikin, the Russian army carried out at least nine air strikes.
Initially, the Russians used FAB-500 aerial bombs, and later FAB-3000 bombs weighing around three tonnes. The latter contain approximately one and a half tonnes of explosive and are capable of destroying heavy-duty concrete structures.
Following a direct hit on the underground room, the ceiling collapsed. People who had sought shelter there to escape the shelling found themselves trapped under the concrete rubble.
The death toll has risen to 33, and dozens of people are still missing
On the morning of 3 November, the regional authorities reported 29 dead and 48 missing. The number of confirmed fatalities subsequently rose to 31.
During a press conference with the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz president Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported the updated figures — 33 dead.
According to the Head of State, five people were rescued, and more than 50 people may still be trapped under the rubble.
The dead include not only civilians who had come to receive humanitarian aid, but also emergency service personnel. The deaths of two rescue workers have been confirmed — Denys Konovalenko and Oleksiy Suschevsky, as well as four police officers.
The head of the Administrative Services Centre in the Komyshuvakha community was also killed in the attack Olga Tverdenko, which helped local residents.
Russian drones attacked rescue workers whilst they were clearing the rubble
According to a TSN correspondent Daria Nazarova, following the first explosions, police officers, rescue workers and volunteers arrived at the scene. They attempted to rescue people from the damaged underground premises.
However, during the rescue operation, the area continued to come under attack Russian drones.
Due to the constant danger, experts are unable to make full use of heavy machinery to clear the rubble. A significant proportion of the debris has to be cleared by hand.
Among those injured was a 28-year-old rescue worker Rodion, who sustained injuries during a second blow. According to TSN, he was diagnosed with a fractured jaw, an acoustic trauma and a serious injury to his arm.
A 22-year-old woman is also in hospital, having sustained burns to 81% of her body surface area, blast injuries and multiple fractures. Doctors describe her condition as extremely serious.
A three-day period of mourning has been declared in Zaporizhzhia
Following a major tragedy in the Zaporizhzhia region, three days of mourning have been declared — from 3 to 5 November inclusive.
The regional administration noted that the attack on Komyshuvakha was one of the deadliest tragedies in the region in terms of the number of fatalities since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.
Meanwhile, rescue workers are continuing to clear the rubble of the underground school. Emergency services, the police and volunteers are working at the scene.
As of the evening of 3 November, 33 people have been confirmed dead. The fate of dozens of local residents remains unknown. The final number of fatalities and casualties will be determined once the search and rescue operations have been completed.
