Death toll rises to 27 in Kyiv region's Bucha district after strike, secondary blast

On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that authorities had launched an investigation into a Russian drone strike on a warehouse near Kyiv that killed at least 27 people. The strike triggered a large detonation and fire, damaging or destroying over 50 residential buildings.

According to Zelenskyy, there are regulations that prohibit storing ammunition near residential areas. However, the source does not specify what type of ammunition or materials were stored at the warehouse at the time of the attack.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of the local regional military administration, stated that among the victims was Taras Didych, the head of the Dmytrivka community who was working to rescue people.

The prosecutor general's office reported that a drone had fallen or struck the grounds of an enterprise in the town of Myla, sparking a large fire and detonation. The investigation will focus on whether the storage of explosive objects and materials complied with legal requirements and whether the company had the necessary permits and approvals. The identity of the company was not disclosed.

Prime Minister Sergiy Koretsky expressed regret that no lessons had been learned from a previous deadly attack in July on a munitions depot near Kyiv, where a serious failure to comply with safety standards led to the tragedy. That investigation found significant deficiencies on the part of the state-owned company despite the proximity of residential buildings.