In brief
On Tuesday, Russia struck Ukraine’s power infrastructure, cutting electricity to dozens of regions and killing dozens of civilians, while President Zelenskiy condemned the raid and German Chancellor Merz urged Moscow to commit to a ceasefire ahead of US‑brokered talks scheduled for Nov. 10‑11 in Abu Dhabi.
On Tuesday, Russia launched a barrage of missiles and drones that knocked out power to swathes of Ukraine ahead of the US‑brokered peace talks scheduled for Nov. 10‑11 in Abu Dhabi. Reuters reported that the strike cut electricity in dozens of regions and left the country without power for many residents.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that 33 people had been killed when the Russian army twice bombed a school now used for aid distribution in Komyshuvakha, near the front line. He added that about 50 people remained trapped under rubble. The attacks were launched less than two days after a brief humanitarian truce in the Russian‑controlled town of Oleshky ended.
Russian officials said the strikes had targeted Ukrainian military units near Komyshuvakha and two other settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region. They claimed up to 25 Ukrainian servicemen were killed and that a 15‑vehicle convoy and an electronic warfare station were destroyed. Russia also said Ukrainian forces had set fire to a major oil refinery in the city of Yaroslavl.
The bombardment comes after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged Moscow to engage in serious negotiations on a ceasefire and a subsequent peace agreement. Merz said the scheduled talks were “the right step” for ending the conflict and that Europe must be part of the process, adding that he had not seen any signs of Russian engagement.
In the days since the attack, Russian forces used 289 drones, 17 ballistic missiles and 59 cruise missiles in the assault, according to a report from the news site Forth. The attack was the latest of a series that has escalated as the world watches the preparations for the Abu Dhabi summit.
