At least 37 people were killed after an overnight Russian drone attack struck a munitions warehouse near Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, triggering a massive explosion and large-scale fire, Ukrainian officials said.
The attack occurred in Myla, in Kyiv’s western suburbs, where the warehouse reportedly contained explosive materials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the strike was followed by a detonation, while authorities launched criminal proceedings to investigate the circumstances surrounding the storage of ammunition and explosive objects.
Kyiv region governor Tymur Tkachenko said the death toll had risen to 37, while dozens of people were injured. At least 50 residential buildings were damaged, with the resulting fire spreading toward homes and a restaurant. Nearly 400 people were evacuated from the affected area.
Ukrainian prosecutors are investigating whether the warehouse operator had the necessary permits and approvals to store explosive materials at the site. The investigation will also examine whether safety regulations were violated, particularly because the facility was located close to residential areas.
The attack was part of a major Russian overnight assault on Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched at least 267 drones and two missiles between late Friday and early Saturday. Separate Russian attacks killed three people in Kyiv, including a two-year-old child and a 14-year-old girl.
The escalation was not limited to Ukraine. Russian authorities reported that Ukrainian drone attacks killed at least three people in Russia’s Belgorod region and another person in Russian-annexed Sevastopol. Both countries have increasingly relied on long-range drone and missile strikes targeting infrastructure, logistics facilities, energy sites and other strategic locations.
The latest attack underscores the continuing escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war and the growing danger faced by civilians as long-range strikes increasingly reach populated areas.
