A Russian drone strike targeting a munitions depot west of Kyiv triggered massive secondary explosions on Friday night, killing 37 people and destroying dozens of nearby structures in the war’s deadliest single attack this year.
The strike hit a facility storing shells, mines, and explosive materials in Myla, a village within the Bucha district. Local military administration chief Tymur Tkachenko reported that the resulting inferno swept through at least 50 residential buildings. Local media later confirmed that 34 of the victims were residents of a nearby facility for the elderly and disabled.
Emergency crews evacuated over 370 individuals from the area.
The disaster occurred during a three-day barrage of intense Russian strikes aimed at exhausting Ukrainian air defenses around the capital through sheer volume.
Residents in Myla described sudden, terrifying detonations as the storehouse ignited.
“At about 8 p.m., the drone hit a warehouse somewhere and then the detonation began. No one knew that weapons were stored there,” said village resident Oleksandr Vodolaz.
“Why are weapons like this … in warehouses and not on the front lines where they would help?” asked local resident Zhanna Kravchuk.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the tragedy, pointing to potential misconduct regarding military storage protocols in populated areas.
“Terrible situation… terrible negligence on the part of those who stored explosives right next to people,” Zelenskyy stated, noting that national law strictly prohibits placing ammunition near residential zones. “Those who allowed this to happen must be held accountable for their decisions.”
A formal criminal investigation into the incident has been launched.