A Russian drone strike on an ammunition warehouse near Kyiv’s western suburbs killed at least 37 people and caused extensive damage to nearby residential buildings, Ukrainian officials reported Saturday. The attack, which took place late Friday in the village of Myla within the Bucha district, sparked large fires and a series of explosions, forcing the evacuation of more than 370 residents, including those from a care home for elderly and disabled individuals.
Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv regional military administration, said at least 50 homes were damaged in the blast, which also claimed the life of Taras Didych, the mayor of the nearby town of Dmytrivka, who had rushed to the scene. Ukrainian prosecutors opened an investigation into alleged criminal negligence related to the storage of munitions at the site, given Ukrainian regulations prohibit storing ammunition near residential areas.
President Volodymyr Zelensky characterized the incident as a result of “terrible negligence,” emphasizing that ammunition storage should not be allowed near homes. He confirmed that the warehouse—owned by the Ukrainian military—contained drones, shells, and other explosives and called for accountability for those responsible. Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi also condemned the event, referencing a similar deadly strike in July on a munitions depot near Kyiv that resulted in 22 deaths and criticizing repeated failures to observe safety regulations.
The drone strike was part of a broader escalation of Russian attacks targeting Ukrainian infrastructure and military facilities. Russia’s Ministry of Defense stated it had struck a warehouse in Myla storing components and launch boosters for long-range drones, as well as ports in Mykolaiv and Izmail and logistics centers related to Ukraine’s Flamingo cruise missile program. The overnight barrage on Ukraine included at least two missiles and over 260 drones launched between Friday night and early Saturday, according to Ukrainian military sources.
More broadly, the recent spike in drone and missile attacks has severely disrupted daily life in Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, with casualties reaching their highest levels since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Ukraine has responded with increased long-range drone strikes targeting Russian military industries and energy infrastructure, aiming to undermine Moscow’s war capabilities.
Residents near the blast site described the explosions as terrifying and indistinguishable from bombing. Emergency responders deployed more than 300 personnel to combat fires and assist evacuation efforts. Authorities closed a major roadway west of Kyiv to facilitate emergency operations. Meanwhile, reports indicated that Russian strikes have also caused casualties and damage in occupied southern Ukrainian regions, underscoring the ongoing intensity of the conflict.
Efforts to negotiate a resolution to the war remain stalled, with Ukraine rejecting Russia’s demands for territorial and political concessions. The conflict continues into its fifth year, marked by frequent and deadly attacks on both military and civilian targets within Ukraine and retaliatory actions across the border in Russia.