37 Bodies Recovered, 59 Still Missing After Russian Bombing of Komyshuvakha School

A school in Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia region, was hit by Russian guided aerial bombs on Monday. It was being used to distribute humanitarian aid. Rescue work entered its third day on Wednesday, as crews searched the damaged building for civilians and emergency workers. The attack matters because the school had become a vital aid point, yet it was struck during a distribution operation.

Police reported that 37 bodies had been recovered and 59 people remained listed as missing. Twelve victims had been identified. President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier said at least 33 people were killed and more than 50 might be trapped. The higher figures reflected continuing rescue and recovery work.

Police said as many as 38 people might still be beneath the debris. Drones, shelling, smoke, and possible further strikes slowed the search and endangered rescuers. Authorities declared three days of mourning and are collecting DNA samples to identify victims and return their bodies to families.

The figures show that rescue and identification were progressing at different speeds. By Wednesday, police had recovered 37 bodies, but only 12 victims had been identified. This distinction matters because finding remains does not automatically reveal who died, especially when bodies cannot be identified visually.

Authorities also reported 59 people still missing. Police added that as many as 38 people could remain trapped beneath the debris. The numbers overlap in the wider accounting because some missing people may be among the recovered dead, while others may still be under the rubble or unaccounted for.

Specialists were working with families to collect biological samples and create DNA profiles. These profiles can be compared with those from unidentified remains. Rescue crews continued searching despite drones, shelling, thick smoke, and the risk of additional strikes. Officials said they were trying to identify victims quickly and return their bodies for burial.

A guided aerial bomb is an explosive weapon dropped from an aircraft that uses guidance systems to steer toward a chosen target. Guidance can improve accuracy, but it does not make an attack harmless. In Komyshuvakha, the weapons struck a school being used for humanitarian aid, causing a deadly collapse and trapping people inside.

Russian forces used at least nine guided aerial bombs against the settlement. After the first strike, Russian aircraft launched a second wave against the shelter where civilians had taken cover. At least four police officers and two State Emergency Service rescuers were killed. Several people were injured, including two emergency workers who required hospitalization.

The second wave made the rescue scene even more dangerous because people seeking protection were attacked again. Drones, shelling, smoke, and continuing strike threats disrupted the search. The event also left authorities facing two urgent tasks: reaching survivors and identifying the dead for their families.

Rescue operations require crews to reach unstable, damaged spaces and search carefully for people beneath debris. At this school, that work was made more dangerous by active threats around the site. Drones and shelling could endanger rescuers, while thick smoke inside the building made it harder to see, breathe, move, and locate trapped people.

The article reports that Russian aircraft launched a second wave against the shelter after the initial strike. Police officers and State Emergency Service rescuers were among those killed, and two emergency workers were hospitalized. This shows that responders were not working in a secure area. They faced danger while trying to help civilians already caught in the attack.

The threat of further strikes also slowed progress and exposed emergency crews to repeated risk. Rescue operations entered their third day, with as many as 38 people possibly still trapped. Authorities continued the search while collecting DNA samples, identifying victims, and supporting relatives through the process.

The school was serving a practical civilian purpose. Humanitarian aid was distributed there every Monday, making it a place where local people could receive essential assistance. In a settlement affected by war, using an existing public building for distribution can bring aid closer to residents. The article presents the school as a shelter and aid location, not as a military position.

Russian forces struck the settlement with at least nine guided aerial bombs. After the initial strike, aircraft attacked the shelter where civilians had taken cover. The article also notes that Komyshuvakha had been targeted during an earlier aid distribution: a Russian drone wounded four people there in June.

The repeated attacks made aid delivery especially dangerous. However, the article does not explain why the school or distribution site was targeted. It only establishes that the strike hit a place serving civilians and that the attack undermined hopes for de-escalation, according to Zelensky. Authorities declared three days of mourning.

When a body cannot be identified by sight, forensic specialists can use DNA analysis. DNA is genetic material found in human cells. A person’s DNA profile can be compared with samples from biological relatives. This method is especially important after a building collapse, when remains may be damaged or incomplete.

In Komyshuvakha, specialists from the regional police center for tracing people missing under special circumstances were working with victims’ families. They collected biological samples and created DNA profiles. Those profiles were then intended for comparison with profiles from unidentified deceased people recovered from the rubble.

A DNA match can provide strong evidence about a victim’s identity, allowing authorities to update missing-person records and notify relatives. Police said officers were supporting families, explaining the procedures, and providing assistance. The stated goal was to identify victims as quickly as possible and return their bodies to their families for burial, even as rescue work continued.

DNA identification works by comparing inherited genetic patterns. A person receives DNA from biological parents, so close relatives share identifiable portions of their genetic profile. Specialists can examine DNA from unidentified remains and compare it with samples from relatives who report someone missing. The closer and more consistent the match, the stronger the evidence for a possible identity.

In this case, regional police specialists were collecting biological samples from victims’ families. They were creating DNA profiles for comparison with profiles from deceased people recovered at the school. This process was needed because some bodies could not be identified visually after the strike and collapse.

A possible match helps authorities connect remains to a missing person’s record. Officials can then complete identification procedures and return the body to the family for burial. Police said officers were explaining the process and supporting relatives. The method does not itself describe the full legal confirmation process, but it provides the genetic evidence needed for identification.