Russian bombing kills 24 in village in southeastern Ukraine, emergency services say

Russian forces bombed ​a school in a village ‌in Ukraine's ​southeastern Zaporizhzhia region on Monday, killing 24 people, Ukraine's emergency services said.

The emergency services said two ‌members of a rescue crew were among the dead in the village of Komyshuvakha. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, writing on Telegram, said Russian forces initially dropped aerial bombs ‌on a school in the village, used for distributing humanitarian assistance.

"After the ‌first air strike, there was a repeat strike with nine more bombs, directly on the shelter where people were gathered," Zelenskiy wrote. "The Russians could not have been unaware that every ⁠week residents ​who have remained ⁠in Komyshuvakha were receiving assistance right there. This is yet further proof that Russia does not ⁠want any kind of de-escalation, any real justice."

The village lies southeast of the ​region's main city, also called Zaporizhzhia. Regina Kharchenko, secretary of the Zaporizhzhia ⁠City Council, said 27 people were missing in the attack.

Zaporizhzhia region police said its officers ⁠and ​rescue teams were trying to reach residents believed to be trapped under rubble. Photographs posted online showed smouldering rubble strewn throughout the area.

The attack occurred a ⁠day after the expiry of a six-day local ceasefire brokered by US first ⁠lady Melania ⁠Trump to bring aid into the embattled city of Oleshky to the southwest in Kherson region and evacuate residents wishing ‌to leave.