Aid Center Hit In Southern Ukraine
Twenty-four people died when guided bombs struck a school and shelter in Zaporizhzhia while a temporary ceasefire ended in Kherson.
By Sakura Novak ·
Residents of Komyshuvakha in southern Ukraine faced a new level of destruction on Monday as Russian forces targeted a humanitarian aid distribution center. The bombing also hit a neighboring shelter, killing 24 people according to Ukraine’s emergency services agency. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that 10 guided bombs struck the area, which included a school building used for aid distribution.
The strikes occurred in the Zaporizhzhia region while a limited ceasefire expired in the separate Kherson region. This temporary pause in fighting had allowed humanitarian aid and evacuation missions into Russian-occupied territory. Zelenskyy posted on X that the attacks proved Russia did not want de-escalation. He added that the killings sent a signal that Russia was counting on more deaths rather than progress toward peace.
Local officials shared photos and video of emergency responders using flashlights to search through collapsed buildings as night fell. About 20 people are missing, and officials said the death toll could rise. Mykhailo Semikin, a military official in Zaporizhzhia, said rescue efforts were hindered when Russian drones launched additional attacks on the same area during Monday evening.
Drone attacks elsewhere in Ukraine injured at least 17 people. In the eastern Kharkiv region, strikes damaged a refrigeration facility, greenhouses, and residential buildings, injuring 12 people. In the Black Sea port city of Odesa, a warehouse was targeted and homes were damaged, leaving five people injured. Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed it shot down 212 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Cyberattacks also disrupted communications late Sunday and early Monday. Government-run mobile apps in both Ukraine and Russia were hacked, sending false emergency alerts. In Ukraine, the alerts warned of a nuclear threat, high radiation levels, and a chemical threat. One message written in Russian mentioned the Oreshnik ballistic missile. Air force spokesman Yurii Ihnat said the cyberattack had no impact on security and defense operations.
In Russia, the Emergency Situations Ministry said hackers sent a false alert through its app at 2:45 a.m. Moscow time across 33 of the country’s 89 regions. The ministry stated that the wider public alert system remained functional via SMS, media broadcasts, and sirens. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said all government bodies must improve the cybersecurity of digital resources.
A Russian Telegram channel linked to security services said a hacking group called Hitcore claimed responsibility for the breach of the Ukrainian system. The group’s affiliations and motivations remain unclear. The limited ceasefire in Kherson began on Oct. 27 and marked the most substantial truce since Russia’s full-scale invasion began nearly five years ago. Ukraine’s general staff said Russian forces used the pause to bolster drone defenses and replenish ammunition supplies.
