Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) - Ukrainian rescuers searched for survivors Tuesday from a Russian strike on a village that killed 29 people, as President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced deadly Russian attacks that came ahead of new US-mediated negotiations.

Russia also struck a hospital in Kharkiv Tuesday wounding 73 people and damaging the facility’s cardiology department as patients were being treated, Zelensky said.

The intense new strikes came ahead of new talks in Abu Dhabi next week between Russian, Ukrainian and US negotiators on ending Europe’s worst war since World War II.

Washington and the Kremlin confirmed the first talks since February in US President Donald Trump’s push to end the Russian invasion which has since 2022 killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.

Zelensky, on a visit to Berlin, said Russia carried out a “massive” attack on his country and said it was “very telling” that it took place on the day of the key US elections.

“The Russians believe that America will not notice this signal from them. But such terror must be noticed and stopped.”

- New attacks -

In the central Dnipropetrovsk region, local leader Oleksandr Ganzha said a Russian attack Tuesday killed two people and wounded 20.

Strikes rained down across the country a night after Russian bombs on Monday reduced to rubble a school turned into a humanitarian aid distribution point in the Zaporizhzhia village of Komyshuvakha.

Authorities said 29 people died and Zelensky warned there were “still people under the rubble” in the village of Komyshuvakha after the attack, where he said “rescue operations continue as far as the security situation allows”.

Acting regional governor Mykhailo Semikin said on Tuesday that 48 people were missing.

The attack followed the war’s longest truce – in the southern region of Kherson – that ended on Sunday and raised hopes for a settlement.

Zelensky said that the local truce could have shown “progress towards peace” but that “with these killings, Russia is sending an entirely opposite signal.”

- Berlin visit -

Zelensky arrived in Germany where he is to meet with Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Germany is one of Ukraine’s top military and financial backers.

“Important meetings are ahead, strengthening of air defence, and support for our energy sector. This will be the priority of today’s negotiations,” Zelensky said as he arrived in Berlin.

His talks in Berlin come a week before the US-mediated meeting in Abu Dhabi and with European nations worrying that the Trump administration is favouring Moscow.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said the Abu Dhabi talks will take place on November 10-11. “Dicussions will focus on post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian efforts, and next steps towards peace.”

Witkoff said US negotiators would also meet European and NATO officials on Wednesday in Brussels. Representatives from Ukraine, the United States, France, Germany, Britain, NATO and the World Bank will take part, the European Commission said.

US-led talks to end the war have produced no breakthrough and the Kremlin has repeatedly said it intends to seize the rest of eastern Ukraine.

- Rescue operations -

A local ceasefire in the Kherson region – brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump – had allowed a humanitarian evacuation of civilians from the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky last week.

But hours after the truce ended, Russia targeted Komyshuvakha.

Zelensky said late Monday that “the Russians could not have been unaware” that the the centre had been used to distribute humanitarian aid there every week.

Russia’s defence ministry said Tuesday it had carried out a “massive strike” on energy facilities across Ukraine, and port infrastructure in the Odesa region.

In Russia, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said nearly 500 drones heading towards the capital region were destroyed.

The strikes came as Britain and France announced around 2,800 troops from 10 European countries will stage military exercises this month in support of Ukraine.

The troops will gather in Poland for the first exercise of a new multinational force that could be deployed once a ceasefire is agreed.