At least 26 people have been killed and dozens injured after Russian forces unleashed a barrage of heavy aerial bombs on an aid distribution centre in southern Ukraine, in a strike president Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned as “utterly horrific.”
At least nine 3,000kg guided bombs struck the village of Komyshuvakha on Monday, targeting a local school used for humanitarian operations before a second bomb hit a shelter where survivors were taking cover, regional head Mykhailo Semikin said.
The massacre casts a dark shadow over fragile diplomatic momentum ahead of proposed trilateral peace talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States in Abu Dhabi later this week.
Zelensky has warned the strike proves Moscow “does not want any de-escalation,” coming just days after a rare humanitarian ceasefire had facilitated civilian evacuations from Russian-occupied Oleshky.
The deadly bombardment in the south follows a huge technological blow for the Kremlin at home, after Ukrainian military intelligence reported on Monday that a $150m Su-57 stealth fighter “exploded” during engine startup at the Akhtubinsk military airbase.
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Key Points
- Death toll rises to 26 in aid centre strike as emergency teams uncover more bodies
- Civilians in Ukraine's Kherson prepare for the return of war as localized ceasefire ends
- Report: Moscow’s most advanced stealth jet blows up miles from combat
- Russia ramps up disinformation war on UK
ICYMI: Hacked alert apps blast fake nuclear and chemical warnings across Ukraine and Russia
03:00 , Suha KidwaiResidents in both Ukraine and Russia have received fake emergency warnings after government-run mobile alert applications in both countries were breached by hackers.
In Ukraine, the targeted mobile app pushed rogue notifications in Ukrainian, Russian, and broken English falsely warning of imminent radiation spikes, chemical threats, and street disturbances in Kyiv.
One Russian-language message warned: "Hi! There will be a nuclear threat across Ukraine. Do not worry, the Oreshnik is incoming."
Ukrainian Air Force Command spokesman Yurii Ihnat said the cyberattack had no impact on defence operations, and authorities restored the app after a temporary suspension.
Hours later, at approximately 2:45 a.m. Moscow time, hackers breached Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry app, triggering false alerts across 33 regions.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has since called on all state bodies to bolster their cybersecurity.
Death toll rises to 26 in aid centre strike as emergency teams uncover more bodies
02:00 , Suha KidwaiThe death toll from the Russian aerial bombardment on an aid distribution point in Komyshuvakha has risen to 26, Ukrainian emergency officials confirmed as search teams continue to clear heavy debris.
Rescuers recovered two additional bodies from the wreckage of the shelter and school site in the Zaporizhzhia region, following an attack carried out with heavy guided aerial bombs.
Emergency crews, police, and military personnel are still searching the site for remaining missing residents, with operations repeatedly disrupted by incoming Russian reconnaissance and strike drone threats.
The stockpile essentials you haven’t thought of yet – but will really need in an emergency
01:00 , James ReynoldsAs bottled water and beans fly off supermarket shelves, are we sacrificing taste for tins? After a week surviving on a stockpile without cooking or refrigeration, Hannah Twiggs reveals the overlooked essentials that could make all the difference
The stockpile essentials you haven’t thought of, but will really need in an emergency
Exclusive: Russia ramps up disinformation war on UK with propaganda claiming Britain is ‘ungovernable and defenceless’
00:00 , James ReynoldsRussia’s disinformation war on the UK has reached new highs as Kremlin-backed media seek to sow chaos amongst Britons and ramp up attacks on their “main adversary”, experts warn.
In the past six months, state-affiliated media have pushed hundreds of thousands of stories on social media portraying Britain as ungovernable, defenceless, and a legitimate Russian target, The Independent can reveal.
Analysis by risk intelligence firm Osavul, which tracks global hybrid threats and supplies technology to Nato, shows such media output rose by around 15 per cent in September, when it produced around 40,365 stories about the UK, while similar levels of disinformation pushed in October.
You can read more below:
Russia ramps up disinformation war on UK with barrage of online propaganda
Report: Moscow’s most advanced stealth jet blows up miles from combat
Monday 2 November 2026 23:00 , James ReynoldsRussia suffered another battlefield blow as a $150mn advanced stealth jet “exploded” before takeoff, Ukrainian military intelligence reported on Monday.
The fifth-generation Su-57 multipurpose fighter blew up during engine startup at Akhtubinsk military airbase on October 29, the Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR) reported.
It was unclear what caused the incident, but HUR said the engines can undergo “catastrophic destruction” when filled with poor quality fuel.
The costly jet has been used sparingly in Ukraine, launching long-range stand-off missiles from Russian-controlled airspace. Analysts estimate Russia currently uses fewer than 30 Su-57s, having received only around 20 between 2020 and 2025, according to RUSI.
Russia has suffered a string of losses in recent weeks, with Ukraine last month claiming to have damaged six Su-34M medium bombers in strikes on the Borisoglebsk airfield in Voronezh region.
Delegations from Russia, Ukraine and the United States are expected to sit down for talks aimed at ending the nearly five year war later this week, although specifics are yet to be confirmed.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that he expects trilateral peace talks to take place in Abu Dhabi between November 6 and 10, subject to Washington confirming a date.
Preview: Why the US midterm elections matter to the rest of the world
Monday 2 November 2026 22:00 , James ReynoldsMillions of Americans will go to the polls on November 3 in what will be seen as a verdict on Trump’s first two years back in office.
Gergana Krasteva reports on the impact the pivotal election could have beyond the United States:
How US midterm elections could impact the rest of the world as Trump faces reckoning
Watch: A drubbing in the midterms will make Trump even more dangerous to the entire world.mp4
Monday 2 November 2026 21:00 , James ReynoldsAt least 24 killed after 'horrific' Russian attack hits Ukrainian aid centre
Monday 2 November 2026 20:15 , Suha KidwaiAt least 24 people, including two emergency rescue workers and four police officers, have been killed after Russian forces struck a humanitarian aid distribution hub in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.
Regional administration head Mykhailo Semikin reported that at least nine 3,000kg aerial bombs struck the village of Komyshuvakha.
President Volodymyr Zelensky described the bombardment as “utterly horrific,” stating that Russian jets launched a secondary strike targeting a shelter where civilians and responders had taken cover following an initial hit on a local school.
“The Russians could not have been unaware that the local residents who remained in Komyshuvakha received humanitarian aid there every week,” Zelenskyy said, adding that the strike shows Moscow rejects de-escalation immediately following the conclusion of the Oleshky evacuation truce.
Putin’s war on Ukraine blamed for 120,000 dead dolphins in the Black Sea
Monday 2 November 2026 20:00 , James ReynoldsExplosions, missile launches, and military sonar systems used during the Ukraine war are confusing dolphins in the Black Sea and leaving them unable to hunt, experts have said.
Trawlers are finding the animals suffocated and entangled in their nets and cutting off their fins to release them, leaving them to wash ashore with the net marks still visible.
Ivan Rusev, head researcher at the Tuzly Lagoons national park in southern Ukraine, told Al Jazeera more than 120,000 dolphins have died this way since Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Read the full story:
Putin’s war on Ukraine blamed for 120,000 dead dolphins in the Black Sea
Civilians in Ukraine's Kherson prepare for the return of war as localized ceasefire ends
Monday 2 November 2026 19:00 , James ReynoldsCivilians in Ukraine’s southeastern Kherson region prepared Sunday for the end of a localized ceasefire that has marked the most significant truce between Kyiv and Moscow since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine 4½ years ago.
The White House said U.S. first lady Melania Trump helped to broker the limited truce, which began early Tuesday and is expected to end Sunday evening. The pause in hostilities allowed besieged residents in the front-line city of Oleshky to be evacuated in a rare joint operation that ended Saturday.
An estimated 2,000 civilians were in Oleshky when the temporary truce took hold. They were offered the choice of evacuating to territory controlled by Ukraine or Russia, or remaining in the city with replenished food and medical supplies. For the safety of those who have stayed, exact numbers were not released after the evacuation.
Civilians in Ukraine's Kherson prepare for the return of war as localized ceasefire ends
Hypersonic missile being made by British-German startup ‘could strike deep inside Russia’
Monday 2 November 2026 18:00 , James ReynoldsA British-German startup developing hypersonic long-range cruise missiles that could strike deep inside Russia has received significant funding, the company has said.
Hypersonica has raised €100 million (£83.5m) in its efforts to develop the deep-strike missiles to strengthen Europe’s defence against a growing Russian threat, the Financial Times reported, coming at a crucial moment as Washington urges the continent to be more responsible for its own security.
“The debate over whether Europe needs these kinds of deterrence capabilities is over. It’s absolutely clear we need them,” Philipp Kerth, the chief executive of the company, told the outlet.
Hypersonic missile being made by British-German startup ‘could strike deep in Russia’
European supermarket fridges are under cyberattack once again, with stores across a vast swathe of the continent from Sweden to Belgium hit by a hack on Monday that turned up their temperatures, echoing an incident in France just last month.
Supermarket chains Ahold Delhaize and Colruyt said an IT incident overnight hit fridges and freezers in dozens of stores in Belgium and Luxembourg, while Swedish grocers ICA and Coop reported similar temperature spikes.
"There has been a cyberattack and all our freezers reached 50 degrees (Celsius)," Engla Ingwall, sales manager at an ICA franchise store in Stockholm, told Reuters, adding the attack occurred at 2am (1am GMT) but was only noticed hours later.
While no-one has claimed responsibility for either attack, the cases have put a spotlight on rising anxiety among regional authorities over hybrid attacks spreading from conflicts on European borders after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow has repeatedly denied involvement in any sabotage or hybrid warfare operations. Reuters was unable to establish who was behind Monday's attacks, or if there was any link to the October ones in France.
Sweden's national cybersecurity centre - which said it could not speculate on who was behind the attacks - is working on several incidents affecting grocery stores across the country, the head of the centre, John Billow, said on Monday.
Recap: Desperate residents evacuate devastated Russian-occupied Oleshky by bus
Monday 2 November 2026 16:40 , James ReynoldsResidents in the occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky began a desperate evacuation on Friday as a localised ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv held for a third day.
A fleet of 25 buses with at least 750 seats stood ready to withdraw locals seeking to leave, Kyiv's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said. His Russian counterpart, Yana Lantratova, added that space would also be provided for their pets.
Residents who wanted to leave were given a four-hour window to do so, lasting until 2pm local time (12pm GMT). Several hundred people are understood to have decided to stay.
As it happened:
Desperate residents evacuate devastated Russian-occupied Oleshky by bus
Ukraine says Russia used Oleshky truce to rearm
Monday 2 November 2026 16:00 , James ReynoldsUkraine's General Staff said on Monday that Russian forces had used a humanitarian ceasefire last week in the Russian-held southern town of Oleshky to strengthen their military positions, which Moscow said it assumed Kyiv had also done.
The six—day ceasefire — brokered through US first lady Melania Trump — was meant to allow aid deliveries and civilian evacuations from the frontline town. In total, nearly 800 people were evacuated, Melania Trump said on X.
However, Ukraine's General Staff said it had recorded rotations of Russian units, fortification of positions, expansion of anti—drone measures along roads, and increased logistics activity including deliveries of ammunition.
"Under the ceasefire introduced for the humanitarian operation in Oleshky, units of the Defence Forces of Ukraine ensured that the ceasefire was observed, and acted exclusively within the framework of the agreements reached," the General Staff said in a statement on X.
"The enemy, by contrast, used the humanitarian pause to improve its positions."
Russia suffers ‘deadliest month of war so far’ as Ukraine strikes missile plant and oil refinery
Monday 2 November 2026 15:20 , James ReynoldsRussia has suffered its deadliest month of the war in Ukraine since it began four years ago, according to figures released by Kyiv, as Ukrainian forces launched overnight strikes against a major Russian missile plant.
Ukrainian military officials have said throughout October, Moscow sustained 54,400 casualties. The figure surpasses the previous monthly high of 48,670 recorded in December 2024, with military planners warning that Russian frontline losses are now outweighing the Kremlin’s recruitment pipeline.
The claims coincide with deep-strike operations inside Russian territory overnight. Long-range Ukrainian drones targeted a facility manufacturing solid propellant and air-defence systems in the southern Rostov region, while more than 100 drones struck the industrial hub of Kstovo, east of Moscow, which processes five per cent of the country’s crude.
Read the full story:
Russia suffers ‘deadliest month of war’ as Kyiv hits missile plant and oil refinery
Russia and Ukraine prepare to restart talks on ending the war
Monday 2 November 2026 14:40 , James ReynoldsRussia and Ukraine are expected in Abu Dhabi for talks with the US this week.
Exact dates and a venue are yet to be finalised, but Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said the sides are considering talks between November 6 and 10.
Where have peace talks been left?
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have been on hold since February, when the United States shifted focus to its new war in the Middle East.
Moscow and Kyiv walked away from talks in Geneva no closer to a deal, as Ukraine suggested the US was unfairly demanding Kyiv alone make concessions to end the war.
Zelensky said the last round of direct talks had been “difficult” and accused Russia of deliberately stalling, with the issue of territory still in dispute.
What does either side want?
Russia insists on its demands for Ukrainian territory and the withdrawal of forces from its borders.
Ukraine insists it needs clear security guarantees from allies to stop Russia reopening the conflict and says it cannot and will not give up territory sought by Russia.
The lands in the east include industry heavy regions and Ukraine’s belt of ‘fortress cities’ to protect against invasion.
Will talks start again?
Zelensky said late in April that he was keen to meet with Vladimir Putin, his Russian counterpart, in an effort to restart negotiations.
While Ukraine claimed a string of wins on the ground, Zelensky warned that US attention on the war with Iran was soaking up resources and leaving Ukraine with critical shortages of air defences.
But the Kremlin said Putin would only meet Zelensky in Moscow for the purpose of finalising agreements on the conflict. Turkey said it was making efforts to restart talks and bring together the leaders, after hosting delegations in July 2025.
Donald Trump is pushing to restore Russian gas sales to Europe through Ukraine, report claims
Monday 2 November 2026 14:00 , James ReynoldsThe Trump administration is pushing to restore Russian natural gas sales to Europe via pipelines running through Ukraine, according to a new report.
US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff proposed the idea during trips to Moscow and Kyiv earlier this year, as Washington looks to push for an energy truce ahead of the winter, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Russian gas would be sold through a US intermediary in order to avoid sanctions by the EU - which has legislated to end all purchases of Russia’s natural gas by the end of 2027.
Read the full story:
Trump ‘pushing to restore Russian gas sales to Europe through Ukrainian pipelines’
Top story: Emergency alert apps 'hacked' overnight, say Ukraine and Russia
Monday 2 November 2026 13:20 , James ReynoldsUkraine and Russia said their emergency alert apps had been hacked overnight, sending false warnings to citizens about impending air raids, chemical and nuclear attacks.
What happened?
Ukraine's public air raid app started to send false alerts just before 11pm on Sunday for the capital Kyiv and other areas warning of radiation and chemical attacks and also the risk of street combat in some areas.
One of the fake alarms said Russia had launched a hypersonic Oreshnik missile and that a nuclear alert had been declared across Ukraine.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations in Russia also said on Monday its app had been hit by a cyberattack that resulted in the spread of false information to the public.
Why does it matter?
The apps are used to warn civilians of potential incoming threats and get them to safety in time. Mistrust in the systems could lead people not to follow their guidance.
The warnings also coincided with the expiry of a six-day local ceasefire brokered by US first lady Melania Trump in a small area of southern Ukraine — the longest such pause in fighting since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
Russia and Ukraine are expected to restart talks with the US later this week, aimed at ending the war. But the dates and venue are yet to be finalised.
Comment: A drubbing in the midterms will make Trump even more dangerous to the entire world
Monday 2 November 2026 12:41 , James ReynoldsTrump has often seemed unhinged in the run up to these midterms – and after Tuesday he will be unbound in his support for Putin and worse, warns world affairs editor Sam Kiley
A drubbing in the midterms will make Trump even more dangerous to the entire world
Trump ‘pushing to restore Russian gas sales to Europe’
Monday 2 November 2026 12:01 , Adam WithnallTrump ‘pushing to restore Russian gas sales to Europe through Ukrainian pipelines’
