37 Killed as Russian Strike Triggers Massive Explosions Near Kyiv

At least 37 people have been killed and more than 40 others injured after a Russian drone strike hit a warehouse in the Kyiv region, triggering a massive fire followed by a series of explosions that continued for hours, Ukrainian officials said Saturday.

The attack occurred late Friday in Myla village, in the Bucha district west of Kyiv. Ukrainian officials said a Russian drone struck the facility at about 8:10 p.m. local time, setting off a large blaze before stored ammunition or other explosive material detonated.

The explosions sent debris across the surrounding area and caused extensive damage to nearby civilian infrastructure. At least 50 residential buildings were damaged, while a care facility for elderly people and other buildings were also affected. More than 370 people were evacuated from the area.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the warehouse had been storing ammunition and questioned why such materials were being kept close to residential communities.

Zelenskyy announced that criminal proceedings had been opened over possible official negligence, indicating that authorities were investigating not only the Russian strike but also the circumstances surrounding the storage of explosive materials at the site.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi also called for accountability, pointing to the incident as another example of the dangers posed by storing explosive materials near civilian populations. A similar deadly explosion occurred in the Kyiv region earlier this year.

Russia has said the targeted facility contained drone and missile components, while Ukrainian authorities have focused on the presence of ammunition and the possible failure to properly secure it. The exact nature and quantity of the materials stored at the facility remain under investigation.

The deadly strike came amid an intense wave of Russian aerial attacks across Ukraine. Kyiv and several other regions faced repeated drone and missile strikes, with Ukrainian authorities reporting near-continuous air-raid alerts.

The attack near Myla was among the deadliest incidents in Ukraine this year, according to the Associated Press. The continuing attacks have placed additional pressure on Ukraine’s air-defence systems and emergency services.

The latest deaths bring renewed attention to the devastating consequences of Russia’s long-running aerial campaign against Ukraine, while the investigation into the warehouse’s storage arrangements is expected to determine whether Ukrainian officials failed to adequately protect nearby civilians