Russia-Ukraine war: Strikes on a school by Russia kills 26, derailing hopes of progress toward peace — SkimNews
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- Russia conducted repeated strikes on a school in Zaporizhzhia on November 2, 2026, killing at least 26 people, including two rescue workers and four police officers, shortly after a local ceasefire expired.
- Ukraine reported that the school was a humanitarian aid distribution site, with President Volodymyr Zelensky stating the strikes targeted both the initial gathering and a subsequent shelter.
- U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff announced that U.S.-led peace talks between Russia and Ukraine will resume November 10–11 in Abu Dhabi, amid concerns Kyiv and European allies have about President Trump’s alignment with Moscow.
- Acting Zaporizhzhia Governor Mykhailo Semikin confirmed the deaths of rescuers Denys Konovalenko and Oleksy Sushchevsky, both 44, who were killed while responding to the attack.
- Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged Russia used the ceasefire to fortify positions, calling it 'normal practice,' while praising the Oleshky humanitarian mission as 'successful' due to cooperation with Russian human rights commissioner Yana Lantratova.
- Ukraine and Russia both reported cyberattacks on their emergency alert systems hours after the truce ended, with Ukraine detecting false radiation warnings sent to millions.
Why it matters: The attack on a known aid site immediately after a ceasefire undermines diplomatic efforts and exposes civilians to renewed risk, while cyber intrusions on both sides suggest coordinated destabilization. With 26 dead and rescue workers among the casualties, the incident raises the human cost of stalled negotiations and highlights vulnerabilities in critical warning infrastructure.
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