UN rights mission condemns Russia attack on Ukraine aid centre

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the multiple strikes -- which on Monday hit the village of Komyshuvakha in the southeast -- were one of the deadliest Russian attacks of the war.

"Dozens were killed while civilians gathered to receive humanitarian aid in Komyshuvakha -- the timing and location of the humanitarian distribution was well publicised," said Danielle Bell, the head of the rights mission.

"Either the Russian armed forces knew that there was a humanitarian distribution taking place, or they failed to take the most basic steps to find out what was happening in this village they were planning to attack," Bell said.

"In either case, this attack seems to have violated the most fundamental principles of international humanitarian law."

UN human rights monitors said Russia had used "powerful aerial glide bombs" in the strike.

"The attack in which multiple glide bombs struck a school building in Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia region, took place in the morning as civilians had gathered to receive humanitarian aid," UN monitors said in a statement.

"Local authorities had announced the distribution of humanitarian aid the day before on a social media channel with nearly 5,000 subscribers, stating that the distribution would take place at the school between 10 am and noon on 2 November."

Zelensky said 33 people had been killed and that more than 50 could be trapped in rubble.

Zelensky said on Monday Moscow had targeted the site repeatedly, hitting the shelter where people fled after the first hits in a so-called double-tap strike.

Among those killed were first responders: two rescue workers and four police officers, acting regional governor Mykhailo Semikin said on Telegram.