Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) identified seven Russian personnel allegedly responsible for the November 2 airstrike on a school in Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The attack killed at least 55 people and left more than 50 missing, according to local authorities. Search and rescue operations have continued for six days, but the final death toll remains unestablished. HUR named Cl. Fedor Zubakov, head of the fire-strike planning group at Russia’s Dnepr Group of Forces headquarters, as the officer who planned the operation. The agency also listed six pilots: Cpt. Sergei Yeliseyev, Cpt. Dmitry Zverev, Sr. Lt. Rodion Plotnikov, Sr. Lt. Nikita Ignatyev, Sr. Lt. Maksim Sokolenko, and Lt. Vadim Perekhrest. A seventh aircraft crew is still being identified.
Operational details and rescue conditions
Russian forces struck the front-line village multiple times on November 2, hitting an underground school where residents gathered for humanitarian aid. One bomb was a 3-ton FAB-3000 containing over 1,000 kilograms of explosives. At least four Su-34 fighter-bombers participated in the operation. This multifunctional aircraft deploys guided bombs, high-explosive bombs, and air-to-surface missiles, and can conduct reconnaissance and electronic warfare missions. HUR stated that identifying these individuals is part of efforts to document Russian war crimes. President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the "insane attack" on November 4, noting very little international reaction. He demanded a strong response and urgent air defense support, warning that evil goes further if unchallenged.
Ongoing crisis in Zaporizhzhia
Oleksandr Kovalenko, spokesperson for the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, described the destroyed underground facility as the only relatively safe place left in the settlement. Rescuers work in shifts of only 15 to 20 minutes before Russian drones force them to withdraw. Some bodies are so damaged that authorities must collect DNA samples from relatives for identification. The situation reflects near-constant attacks on settlements located just 5 to 15 kilometers from Russian positions. Authorities reported 785 strikes on 51 settlements across the oblast in one day on November 6. How remaining residents will receive aid is now unclear.
