A Russian strike on a warehouse in the Bucha district west of Kyiv killed at least 37 people Saturday, in one of the deadliest attacks to hit Ukraine this year. The strike ignited a fire that damaged at least 50 residential buildings and a care home for the elderly and disabled. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated the attack stemmed from a strike on a warehouse in the village of Myla, followed by a detonation, and announced a criminal investigation into why explosives were stored near a residential area. Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed to have hit a warehouse storing components for long-range drones.
Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration, reported 42 injuries, including four children, and said 34 of the fatalities were residents of the care facility. Evacuations of 381 people, including 59 children, were underway, with emergency services providing aid and temporary accommodation. Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi referenced a similar incident in Vyshneve earlier in July, where an ammunition depot explosion killed 22 and damaged homes, calling the recurrence of such events “criminal negligence.”
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian law prohibits storing ammunition near homes and that those responsible for allowing it to happen would be held accountable. He also announced that two officials from state-owned companies, including Ukroboronprom, would be held accountable for illegally storing weapons at the Vyshneve site. The attack occurred during almost constant Russian air raids on Kyiv, disrupting civilian life and choking the capital’s economy. Russia also reported strikes on ports in Mykolaiv and Izmail, as well as logistics centers storing materials for Ukrainian cruise missiles. The situation raises questions about safety protocols for ammunition storage in Ukraine, and whether past incidents have prompted sufficient preventative measures.
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