Russian strikes knock out power to swathes of Ukraine; Kyiv hits Russian refinery

As of November 4, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky raised the death toll from a Russian attack on an aid center in Komyshuvakha, a village in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, to 40 people. The initial strike occurred on November 2, with reports initially stating that at least 18 and later 24 had been killed; however, after three days of rescue efforts, more bodies were found, increasing the death count significantly. Two members of a rescue crew also lost their lives during recovery operations.

The attacks targeted a school being used to distribute humanitarian aid, drawing international condemnation for targeting civilian infrastructure. Zelensky described it as an "utterly horrific Russian attack" and highlighted that despite a local ceasefire brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump the previous week, Russia continued its bombardment, suggesting ongoing disregard for de-escalation efforts.

Additionally, on November 4, separate Russian attacks in and around Kyiv caused power outages, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Zelensky emphasized that there had been a lack of global reaction to this "insane attack," underscoring the international community's perceived inadequate response to war crimes committed by Russia during its invasion of Ukraine.