A Russian drone strike on a weapons depot near Kyiv has resulted in at least 37 deaths and the evacuation of nearly 400 residents. The attack, which occurred late Friday in the Bucha district, triggered a massive secondary explosion as shells, mines, and drones detonated, causing significant damage to nearby properties, including a care home for the elderly and disabled.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the placement of the munitions, stating the storage site “definitely shouldn’t have been there.” He confirmed that an investigation has been launched into “terrible negligence on the part of those who stored explosive right next to people.” Officials are currently reviewing the legality of storing such materials near residential buildings, and criminal proceedings have been initiated regarding official negligence.
Regional head Tymur Tkachenko reported that 42 people were injured in the blast, including four children. Rescue operations at the site in Myla village continued throughout Saturday. Local resident Liubov Pavlenko, 45, described the destruction of his home, noting that the structural integrity of buildings in the area had been compromised by the force of the detonations.
The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed its forces targeted an ammunition depot in Myla that held components and launch boosters for long-range unmanned aerial vehicles. This incident marks the second time in recent months that a munitions depot near Kyiv has been struck, drawing sharp criticism from the public and government officials. Prime Minister Sergiy Koretsky expressed frustration that lessons from a July explosion in Vyshneve—which killed nine people and damaged over 280 homes—had not been learned.
Beyond the Myla incident, the past 24 hours have seen widespread violence across Ukraine. Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko confirmed that a two-year-old child died after a drone crashed in the Obolonskyi district, while a 14-year-old was killed in the Boryspil district. In total, local officials reported five deaths across the country, with additional overnight strikes hitting Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia. The Ukrainian military stated it successfully intercepted 233 Russian drones.
The conflict has also seen intensified activity within Russian territory. Officials in the Belgorod and Rostov regions reported two deaths and 25 injuries from recent strikes. Furthermore, the Moscow-appointed governor of occupied Zaporizhzhia stated that four people were injured following a Ukrainian attack on a shopping center.
The online retailer Ozon reported that one of its logistics centers was hit by a Ukrainian drone, forcing the company to suspend operations at a second facility and evacuate staff due to safety concerns. This follows a series of strikes earlier in the week targeting Ozon facilities in Krasnodar, Dagestan, Stavropol, and Adygea. Ukraine has frequently targeted economic sites associated with Russian retailers like Wildberries, alleging they provide support to the Russian military—a claim Moscow denies.
As the investigation into the Myla depot continues, authorities are under pressure to explain why military explosives were positioned near populated areas. Borys Daniyluk, a 61-year-old resident, questioned the decision-making process, noting that the site had previously been used for food storage. Officials have pledged that those responsible for the oversight will face severe punishment to prevent future tragedies. The report also notes that ukraine correspondent Dan Johnson reports from Kyiv after the deadly strike. The report also notes that a village to the west of the Ukrainian capital, holding “components and launch boosters for FP-1/FP-2 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles”, russia’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement that its forces had targeted “an ammunition depot” in Myla. The report also notes that and cracks around the windows, there are cracks all around the entire perimeter. The report also notes that it said the “actions of officials who made the relevant decisions” would also be investigated. The report also notes that especially given the regularity of Russian aerial attacks, friday night’s explosion has raised fresh questions about why munitions were being stored so close to people’s homes. The report also notes that just emotions, there are no words. The report also notes that making the same mistakes over and over is criminal negligence,” Koretsky said on Telegram, in the fifth year of the full-scale invasion. The report also notes that without exception, must face severe punishment so that such situations never happen again, everyone responsible.
