Death toll from Russian attack in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region climbs to 53

The death toll from Russia's bombing of an aid distribution point in Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia region on Monday has risen to 53, the acting regional governor said Friday, making it one of the deadliest strikes on civilians this year.

In a post on the Telegram messaging app, Mykhailo Semikin said search and rescue work at the site in the village of Komyshuvakha had entered its fifth day. Ukraine's Emergency Service had earlier said the toll was 50 and that search and rescue work was continuing despite difficult conditions and the constant threat of repeat Russian strikes.

Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure caused new power outages overnight and on Friday morning in seven Ukrainian regions, Deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov said. The affected regions were Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Kharkiv and Chernihiv.

"The situation remains most difficult in the capital region," Nekrasov said, adding that utility workers were still having to impose network restrictions because of heavy damage.

The Russian military admitted it struck an energy storage battery facility in Ukraine's Kyiv region and a cargo vessel in the Black Sea port of Odesa, with its Defence Ministry claiming on Telegram Friday that both were being used for military purposes.

The attacks came a day after several Russian and Ukrainian officials gathered at the White House in a meeting organized by Melania Trump to mark a six-day ceasefire in the Russian-controlled town of Oleshky in southern Ukraine. Nearly 800 people were escorted from the small city in a pause in fighting the U.S. first lady helped broker.

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"It was a very positive meeting, and the main thing is that the positive outlook and willingness to continue such humanitarian work is maintained," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

Ukrainian officials also praised Melania Trump's efforts, which have also included work to help Ukrainian children deported or forcibly moved from Russian-occupied territory. A presidential decree this week signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cited her "significant personal contribution" to humanitarian support for Ukraine in the award known as the Order of Princess Olga, 1st class.

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Russia was led at the White House meeting by Kirill Dmitriev, envoy for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed he met privately with Dmitriev on Thursday, but would not disclose what was discussed. The U.S., Ukraine and Russia will hold talks in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates early next week as the war nears the five-year mark.

Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, said the war was close to being settled and that ending it might involve all of Europe.

"It's going to be a big agreement, and it's going to involve more than Ukraine.… I could even say it might involve all of Europe. It's going to be a big, beautiful agreement, and everyone's going to be thrilled," Trump said.

Trump has frequently predicted an agreement to end Europe's deadliest conflict since the Second World War since returning to the presidency in early 2025.

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The U.S. president also spoke to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday, the government in Berlin said.

The call between Merz and ⁠Trump ⁠took place "against ​the backdrop of long-standing preparations regarding the ​format ⁠of negotiations in Abu Dhabi or, at a later date, in other locations," the German government spokesperson said.

While Trump's Republican Party performed badly in the recent U.S. midterms, he will be president for two more years and able to influence what is happening in Ukraine. Moscow hopes Trump can pressure Kyiv into agreeing a deal that meets many of its conditions, such as full Russian control of Ukraine's Donbas region and a bar on Ukraine joining NATO.

Kyiv rejects any notion of giving up land it currently holds.