Russian glide bombs struck a school serving as an aid distribution centre and shelter in Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia region, on 2 November, killing at least 26 people including two rescue workers and four police officers, with 27 reported missing [7][15][39]; some outlets, citing the State Emergency Service, put the toll at 24 [20][37]. Ukrainian officials described the attack as a deliberate "double-tap" strike: after the first bombs hit the school, nine more FAB-3000 bombs were dropped on the shelter where survivors had taken cover [29][31][44]. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces knew civilians received weekly humanitarian aid at the site and called the strike proof that "Russia does not want any kind of de-escalation" [7][20][35]. The Russian Defense Ministry did not address the Komyshuvakha strike directly but stated that Russian forces struck a military facility in the Odesa region and a cargo vessel it said was used for military purposes [7][10][31].
The strike followed the expiration of a six-day humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshky, Kherson region — the longest pause in hostilities since February 2022 — brokered with Melania Trump's involvement and praised by Pope Leo XIV, which enabled the evacuation of nearly 800 people [25][31][38]. The Ukrainian General Staff stated that while its forces observed the truce, Russian units used the pause to rotate troops, reinforce positions, expand anti-drone defences and resupply ammunition [7][10][38]. Dmitry Peskov called adjusting positions during a ceasefire "normal practice" and said Ukraine could equally have regrouped [7][14][31]. Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets called the truce "an important step in joint humanitarian efforts" and said he was working with Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova on further evacuations [25][34][38].
Ukraine's Air Alert app, used by 6.7 million people, was hacked shortly after the truce expired, sending false warnings of nuclear radiation, chemical attacks and street fighting in Kyiv, with one message in Russian referencing the Oreshnik missile [3][22][36]. The Ukrainian Air Force said the app "appears to have been subjected to enemy influence" and SPRAVDI, Ukraine's Centre for Strategic Communications, blamed Russia, citing the Russian-language text [3][5][22][25]. Cybersecurity specialist Don Smith of Sophos said the attack's blatant Russian-language messaging departed from effective information warfare and "may indicate desperation" on Russia's part [28]. Shortly afterward, the Russian Emergencies Ministry reported that its own warning app had been hit by a "massive cyberattack" that spread false information to the public, including warnings that nuclear warheads had been launched against Russian regions [3][7][26][36]. The ministry did not name a culprit and said the core siren and broadcast warning system remained unaffected [26][42][45]. Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine had retaliated, stating: "I underlined it several times that we only respond to their attacks" [16][41]. A Kyiv-based hacking community calling itself DC8044 claimed it breached Russia's EMERCOM app through its API [42].
The fake alerts prompted fear but not panic among Ukrainian civilians. Lviv resident Sofia Kochmar said the word "nuclear" initially frightened her before a reference to street fighting made her doubt the alert's authenticity [30]. Ballerina Anastasiia Romanytska described physical stress — "my heart started racing, and my stomach tightened up" — before concluding the warning was not serious [30]. In Russia, Moskovsky Komsomolets quoted technical experts warning that a single false signal undermines trust in all future alerts, with INSYTE Electronics founder Sergey Gribanov saying "for people, the app is the state" [45]. The hacks coincided with cyberattacks on European supermarket refrigeration systems across Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Ireland and Estonia, which EU Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen called "a deliberate attempt to disrupt" food supply [11].
Zelenskyy warned that Ukrainian intelligence had detected preparations for a large-scale Russian attack on energy and logistics infrastructure timed to the US midterm elections, saying Moscow was exploiting the moment when "the world will be watching the American midterms" [4][32][40]. He cited Ukraine's shortage of ballistic-missile interceptors and Patriot systems and urged faster Western air-defense deliveries [6][32]. Ukraine's Energy Ministry reported 94 targeted Russian attacks on energy and oil-and-gas infrastructure in one week, with 208 recorded incidents and fresh blackouts in nine regions [23]. A UN Commission of Inquiry accused Russia of crimes against humanity over the energy strikes, concluding the attacks are deliberate and part of a state policy aimed at depriving civilians of vital resources [17][23].
Zelenskyy offered to halt Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries if Washington supplies Patriot interceptor missiles, or if Russia agrees to mutual restraint on energy targets [7][12][31][34]. Donald Trump had asked Ukraine to stop attacking Russian refineries, saying the resulting fuel shortage was harming the world [6][48]. Ukrainian drones struck the Slavneft-Yanos refinery in Yaroslavl, one of Russia's largest refining complexes, with residents reporting at least three fires [1]. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced a ban on diesel exports, and analyst Abhishek Kumar of Sparta Commodities said the ban comes at "almost the worst possible moment" with diesel stocks already drawn down [46][49]. Brazilian and South Asian sources documented the war's economic transmission to distant countries: Brazil was the third-largest buyer of Russian diesel in 2025 [48][49], while Bangladesh faced wheat, edible oil and fuel inflation and Nepal maintained a labor-permit freeze after more than 100 Nepalis died fighting in the Russian army [52][53].
Russian officials rejected the prospect of sanctions relief. Dmitry Birichevsky, director of the economic cooperation department at Russia's Foreign Ministry, said Moscow's trust in the West was "irreversibly lost" and that Russia would neither ask for sanctions to be lifted nor offer concessions [33]. State Duma chairman Vyacheslav Volodin cited 35,480 sanctions imposed on Russia and argued the restrictions harm European and US economies most [33]. Peskov dismissed a reported US proposal to resume Russian gas transit through Ukraine as "impossible to implement right now" [19]. The Russian foreign ministry separately called reports of planned new military action against Iran "extremely concerning" and urged intensified diplomatic efforts [18][24].
US envoy Steve Witkoff announced that Russian and Ukrainian delegations would meet in Abu Dhabi on 10–11 November for working-level talks focused on post-war security arrangements, de-escalation and humanitarian efforts [7][29][31][35]. The United Kingdom and France announced the first exercise of a new multinational force in Poland from 9–22 November to test deployment capabilities to support Ukraine after hostilities end [7]. The Kremlin said no further humanitarian missions like the Oleshky evacuation are planned "at the moment" [35].