40 dead in southern Ukraine village as Russian strikes knock out Kyiv power

The death toll from a Russian strike on the southern Ukrainian village of Komyshuvakha rose to 40 on Wednesday, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The incident marks one of the deadliest single attacks in the region in nearly five years of war. Zelenskyy stated that 30 additional people may still be trapped beneath the rubble.

The destruction occurred on Monday when multiple Russian guided bombs hit a former school and a nearby shelter. Residents had gathered at the site to wait for humanitarian aid. The village is located in the Zaporizhzhia region, near the front line. Russian drones continued to hamper search operations through the third day of recovery efforts.

Mykhailo Semikin, acting head of the regional military administration, confirmed that search teams would continue their work despite the aerial threats. Ivan Fedorov, co-chair of the regional defense council, said that 12 bodies pulled from the ruins had been identified. The National Police of Ukraine noted that visual identification was not possible for all victims. Specialists are currently collecting DNA samples from relatives to assist in the identification process.

Body camera footage from a police officer killed in the attack provides a stark record of the event. The video was recorded on Monday as the officer descended stairs into the shelter after the nearby aid distribution center was struck. In the clip, the officer urges survivors to move deeper into the building. He is heard saying, “Go down! Why are you gathering here?” Moments after he enters a low-ceilinged underground room, the audio captures a brief rumble before the video cuts to black.

Vladyslav Makhovskyi, a Baptist pastor, joined the search for survivors on Tuesday. He described the scene as bodies wrapped in white plastic sheets were carried from the ruins and laid in rows. Makhovskyi told The Associated Press that many victims were killed immediately by the impact. He added that those who survived the initial blast likely could not breathe due to the collapsed structure.

Wednesday brought further disruption to the capital. Russian attacks triggered power and water outages across Kyiv and surrounding regions. Residents in the capital were urged to use public drinking water fountains until utilities were restored. Emergency centers were set up in the worst-hit areas to provide hot tea and power for charging electronic devices.

Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 310 drones overnight. This included 81 jet-powered drones. The air force stated it downed or suppressed 272 of these drones. Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed it shot down 709 Ukrainian drones during the same period. A drone attack also caused a fire at an Ozon logistics center in Adygeysk, Russia, with no reported casualties.

In Brussels, officials from the United States, Germany, France, Britain, NATO, the World Bank, and the European Union met on Wednesday. The closed-door session focused on refining scenarios for Ukraine’s postwar economic development. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated the meeting addressed European demands for Russian concessions. She criticized previous talks for focusing solely on what Ukraine should give away.

Zelenskyy posted on X that the world has shown little reaction to the strike in Komyshuvakha. He described the attack as an insanity that demands a strong response. He added, “Evil always goes further if it is left unanswered.” The strike followed the end of a six-day ceasefire in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky in Kherson region. This truce allowed for the evacuation of residents from the shattered city.

Zelenskyy awarded U.S. First Lady Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga, 1st class. The honor recognizes her humanitarian support and charitable activities aimed at helping Ukrainian children. The presidential website credited her with brokering the ceasefire in Oleshky. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that President Donald Trump will continue efforts to end the war regardless of the midterm election results.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine announced on Wednesday that it uncovered a criminal plot involving senior officials. The scheme included figures from the security service, prosecutor general’s office, and national police. These officials allegedly took kickbacks from the criminal underworld to protect fraudulent call centers, drug sales, and illegal currency operations. This is the latest in a series of graft scandals during Zelenskyy's presidency.