Russian Drone Strike on Kyiv-Area Weapons Depot Leaves 37 Dead, Hundreds Evacuated

A Russian drone attack on a military weapons facility near Kyiv has resulted in one of the deadliest strikes in the Ukrainian capital region this year, after stored ammunition exploded and sent huge blasts through nearby communities.

At least 37 people were killed and another 42 injured in the incident, which occurred late Friday in Myla, a village in Bucha district west of Kyiv. The explosion triggered fires across the area and prompted authorities to evacuate nearly 400 residents as emergency teams worked to secure the site and assist those affected.

Massive Explosion Follows Drone Strike

The facility was being used to store military materials, including artillery shells, mines, drones and other ammunition. According to Ukrainian officials, the initial Russian drone strike caused the stored weapons to detonate, producing a powerful secondary explosion and widespread fires.

The blast did not remain confined to the military site. Around 130 homes and other nearby infrastructure were reported damaged. A facility providing care for elderly people and people with disabilities was also affected, adding to concerns over the proximity of military storage operations to civilian communities.

Four children were among those injured, according to the information released after the attack. Rescue and recovery operations continued as authorities assessed the extent of the destruction and searched affected areas.

One of those killed was the head of a neighbouring village, who had travelled to the area to assist with the emergency response. His death highlighted the dangers faced not only by residents but also by officials and emergency personnel responding to the aftermath.

Russia Confirms Target Was a Weapons Facility

Russia's Defence Ministry said the attack targeted the ammunition facility in Myla. Moscow described the site as containing components and launch boosters associated with FP-1 and FP-2 long-range drones.

The strike occurred amid a broader wave of Russian aerial attacks across Ukraine. Kyiv and other regions had faced drone and missile attacks for a third consecutive day, adding pressure on emergency services already dealing with multiple incidents.

Elsewhere, a separate drone attack in the Boryspil district killed a 14-year-old girl. Another attack in Kyiv resulted in the death of a two-year-old girl after a drone crashed in the city.

The continuing attacks underline the intensity of Russia's aerial campaign against Ukraine, with drones increasingly being used alongside other weapons to strike military and strategic targets.

Zelensky Questions Storage of Explosives Near Civilians

The devastating blast has also triggered a separate investigation inside Ukraine over how military explosives were stored.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the facility should not have been located in such proximity to civilian areas. Ukrainian authorities have opened criminal proceedings to determine whether officials were negligent and whether the storage of ammunition and other explosive materials complied with safety requirements.

The investigation is particularly significant because the disaster followed another deadly incident involving a weapons warehouse near Kyiv. Ukrainian officials have pointed to the earlier case as evidence that lessons may not have been adequately implemented.

Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky also criticised the handling of ammunition storage, while the Ukrainian Defence Ministry ordered a nationwide review of locations used to store military supplies.

Growing Civilian Risk Around Military Targets

The Myla explosion illustrates the severe risks created when military facilities are located close to populated areas during an ongoing war. Even when a strike is directed at a military target, secondary explosions can dramatically expand the area affected, putting homes, care facilities and emergency responders in danger.

For residents near Kyiv, the latest attack has therefore raised concerns beyond the immediate loss of life. The destruction of homes and evacuation of hundreds of people demonstrate how quickly an attack on military infrastructure can become a wider humanitarian emergency.

The incident is currently regarded as the deadliest Russian strike in the Kyiv area this year. With aerial attacks continuing across Ukraine, authorities now face the dual challenge of protecting civilians from incoming strikes while also reassessing how military ammunition is stored and transported.

For the families of those killed and injured, however, the immediate priority remains the search for survivors, treatment of the wounded and recovery from the destruction left behind by the massive explosion.