Since this morning, efforts have been underway to rescue people following Russian aerial bomb strike

Since this morning, efforts have been underway to rescue people following Russian aerial bomb strikes on Komyshuvakha in the Zaporizhzhia region. All day long, there have been repeated air raid alerts and threats of new strikes. People are trapped under the rubble. The strike targeted a school building – of course, classes were no longer being held there, as Komyshuvakha is very close to the front. The building and the shelter inside it were used for humanitarian work – humanitarian aid was distributed to people there every Monday. The Russians carried out the first strike just as people had arrived – several aerial bombs. Then came a double-tap strike – more aerial bombs, this time targeting the shelter. A vile, terrorist strike.

The Russians are proving again and again that they hate Ukraine and everything in it. If Russia truly wanted de-escalation, then now, after Oleshky, there was a moment when humanitarian steps could have continued. We proposed this. But Russia continues the killings.

As of now, 26 people have been reported killed. My condolences to their families and loved ones. Five people are in hospitals. More people are under the rubble. Rescue operations will continue for as long as necessary to find each and every person. Most of the victims of this Russian strike are civilians who came to receive humanitarian aid and those who came to help them after the first strike. The Russians knew that this was effectively a humanitarian facility. It is important that the world respond to this – to every killing of our people by the Russians, to every step toward escalation in the war.