Death Toll Rises in Russian Strike on Ukrainian School Used as a Shelter

The death toll has risen to 40 after Russian guided bombs struck a school that was being used as an aid center and shelter in the village of Komyshuvakha, in the Zaporizhzhia region, according to the Associated Press and the Guardian. Earlier reports by the Kyiv Independent and the BBC had put the number of recovered bodies at 37.

The strike

The attack happened on Sunday, November 2. Ukrainian officials said Russian forces used guided aerial bombs, including a FAB-3000, one of the heaviest bombs in Russia’s arsenal, according to the reports.

The school had been serving as a place where residents collected aid and took shelter. Ukrainian officials had earlier said dozens of people were missing, and search and recovery work has continued.

International reaction

United Nations human rights monitors in Ukraine noted the attack, according to the reports. International humanitarian law prohibits attacks on civilians and civilian sites, including schools, unless they are being used for military purposes.

Russia did not immediately comment on the specific strike. Moscow has repeatedly denied targeting civilians, despite extensive documentation by Ukrainian and international investigators of attacks on homes, hospitals and energy facilities.

Guided bombs

Russia has increasingly used glide bombs, older unguided bombs fitted with wings and navigation kits, which allow aircraft to release them from a distance outside the range of many Ukrainian air defenses. The FAB-3000 carries about three tons of explosives.

Zaporizhzhia region, which lies near the front line in southern Ukraine, has been a frequent target.

Rescue efforts

Emergency crews worked through rubble for days, searching for survivors and recovering bodies.

Civilians in front-line areas

Many residents of villages near the front line have stayed in their homes despite repeated shelling, often because they are elderly or cannot afford to leave. Aid centers in schools and community buildings provide food, water and power. Humanitarian groups have warned that such gathering points face growing danger as strikes intensify.

What to watch

The rising toll is likely to intensify Ukraine’s calls for more air defense systems from its partners. US-mediated talks between Ukraine and Russia are scheduled in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 10 and 11.

Developing: some details in this report are preliminary or unconfirmed and are identified as such in the text.

Sources: Associated Press, BBC.