Ukraine's military intelligence says it has identified the Russian military personnel behind a strike on a high school in Komyshuvakha, in the Zaporizhzhia region, that killed at least 55 people. The Defence Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of Ukraine's Defence Ministry said this on Saturday, 7 November.
GUR says the strike was planned by Colonel Fyodor Vladimirovich Zubakov, head of a fire-strike group at the headquarters of the Russian army's Dnipro group of forces. The pilots who dropped the bombs have also been identified. The crew of one more Russian aircraft is still being established.
Four Su-34 aircraft from Tactical Aviation Group No. 5 took part in the attack. The group is part of the Special Combat Group under the reserve aviation grouping of the Russian General Staff.
It was formed from the 11th Composite Aviation Regiment (military unit 77978) of the 4th Composite Aviation Division and the 559th Bomber Aviation Regiment of the 1st Composite Aviation Division. Both divisions belong to the 4th Air and Air Defence Forces Army of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
At 09:45 on 2 November, two guided aerial bombs hit Dzherelo high school, destroying the gym and a utility building. About an hour later, a FAB-3000 bomb fell on the school's underground rooms.
The basement held a "point of invincibility" and a shelter for local people. People were trapped under the rubble after the heavy bomb exploded.
An early estimate says there may be about 30 more bodies under the rubble. The search and rescue work continues. Some of the bodies found have not been identified, so DNA samples have been taken from relatives of the missing.