Death Toll from Russian Strike on Ukrainian Aid Center Rises to 42

The death toll from a Russian strike on an aid distribution center in the village of Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia region, has risen to 42, regional police said on November 5, 2026. The attack occurred on November 3. Thirty-three people were still buried under the rubble at the time of the latest count. Rescue teams continued to work at the site.

The center had been distributing food and other supplies to civilians in an area near the front. Ukrainian officials said the strike hit a location that was not a military target. Russian forces have increased strikes on logistics and energy infrastructure across several Ukrainian regions in recent weeks. Ukraine's Energy Ministry reported that nuclear plants have reduced output because of damage to the power grid.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had spoken with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Brussels ahead of planned talks that include Russia. A six-day pause in fighting around the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky was arranged with the involvement of the U.S. side. First Lady Melania Trump delivered handwritten letters to Russian and Ukrainian representatives at the White House on November 5 in connection with that pause.

The Komyshuvakha strike is one of the higher civilian casualty counts reported from a single incident in the Zaporizhzhia region this year. Local authorities have not released a full list of the dead. The 33 people still missing under the debris mean the final number could rise further. International monitors have documented repeated strikes on civilian sites throughout the conflict.

The timing coincides with renewed diplomatic contact. Whether the talks produce a broader pause remains open. For the families in Komyshuvakha the immediate fact is the confirmed loss of 42 people at an aid point and the continued search for those still under the rubble.