Russian Strikes Cripple Kyiv Utilities as Rescue Operation Enters Third Day in Zaporizhzhia

KYIV, Ukraine — Overnight assaults on critical infrastructure triggered extensive power and water outages across Kyiv and surrounding regions Wednesday, even as rescue crews continued sifting through rubble in southern Ukraine three days after one of the deadliest attacks in nearly five years of war.

On Monday, multiple Russian guided bombs struck a school and shelter in the village of Komyshuvakha, near the front line in the Zaporizhzhia region. Authorities have confirmed 37 deaths and say approximately 38 people may still be trapped beneath the debris.

Moscow showed no signs of relenting in its aerial campaign elsewhere.

In Kyiv, residents were directed to public drinking water fountains, while emergency centers were rapidly established in the hardest-hit districts, offering hot tea and charging stations for electronic devices. The city’s water utility later announced that supplies had been restored, and Ukraine’s largest private energy operator, DTEK, reported that emergency power shutdowns in the capital had ended after repair crews stabilized the grid.

Russia launched 310 drones overnight, including 81 jet-powered variants, according to Ukraine’s air force. The military said it destroyed or suppressed 272 drones of various types.

On Tuesday, a large-scale Russian strike targeting power plants and substations across nine regions cut electricity in several areas in and around Kyiv. The state-owned grid operator Ukrenergo said Russian forces struck energy facilities more than 20 times in 24 hours.

Such attacks on civilian infrastructure have been a consistent feature of wartime life in Ukraine, despite arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court in 2024 for two senior Russian officers accused of overseeing the campaign.

Officials from the United States, Germany, France, Britain, NATO, and the European Union were scheduled to meet Wednesday at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels. Discussions are expected to focus on post-war security arrangements, the massive reconstruction effort required, and potential economic opportunities that peace could unlock.

The Brussels talks precede a new round of U.S.-brokered peace negotiations next week, more than four and a half years after Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The death toll from Monday’s strike on Komyshuvakha has risen to 37, said Mykhailo Semikin, acting head of the regional military administration. He earlier warned that Russian drone attacks were hampering search efforts but vowed operations would continue.

Ivan Fedorov, co-chair of the regional defense council, said Wednesday that 12 bodies recovered from the rubble had been identified. Preliminary estimates suggest a further 38 people may remain trapped, though it is unclear whether any are still alive.

The National Police of Ukraine confirmed the same figures. In a Telegram post, police said visual identification of some victims was impossible and that specialists were working with relatives to collect DNA samples for analysis.

On Tuesday, Baptist pastor Vladyslav Makhovskyi joined the search at the wreckage of the school and underground shelter where villagers had sought safety. As the day progressed, bodies wrapped in white plastic sheets were carried from the ruins and laid in rows as smoke drifted across the shattered landscape.

“When the bombs hit, people could no longer get out,” Makhovskyi told The Associated Press. “I understand that many were killed immediately. Even if some were still alive, they probably couldn’t breathe.”

Monday’s attack followed the collapse of a six-day ceasefire in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky, more than 245 kilometers (150 miles) to the southwest. The truce — the most significant between Kyiv and Moscow since 2022 — had allowed the evacuation of residents from the devastated city.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded U.S. first lady Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga, 1st class — an honor bestowed on women who have made outstanding contributions to the Ukrainian state. The presidential website cited her “significant personal contribution to humanitarian support for Ukraine,” including advocacy for human rights and charitable work aiding Ukrainian children. She was credited with brokering the six-day ceasefire that enabled a humanitarian mission to Oleshky in the Kherson region.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin expressed hope that U.S. President Donald Trump will continue efforts to end the war regardless of the outcome of midterm elections that saw Democrats take control of Congress, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “We sincerely hope he will continue his peacemaking efforts,” Peskov was quoted as saying by Russian news agency Interfax. Asked whether a new Congress could hinder those efforts, he called it “an internal matter for America.”

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces shot down 709 Ukrainian drones overnight. The major online retailer Ozon reported a drone attack caused a fire at its logistics center in Adygeysk, in Russia’s Adygea region, with no casualties reported.

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