Death toll rises to 37 in Russian strike on warehouse near Kyiv

On August 28, the Russian military launched an attack on Myla, a village near Kyiv, setting a warehouse containing ammunition ablaze. The resulting fire sparked a chain reaction of explosions, sending flames into adjacent residential homes. As a consequence, authorities imposed a complete blockade on the Zhytomyr highway spanning between the 15th and 32nd kilometer markers. Evacuations ensued, with nearly 400 individuals being relocated from the impacted area.

The head of Kyiv's Regional Military Administration, Tymur Tkachenko, reported on August 29 that at least 27 fatalities resulted from the Russian strike, while 42 others sustained injuries of varying severity. Among the deceased was Taras Didych, head of the Dmytrivka community in the Bucha district of Kyiv region, who was actively engaged in rescue operations amidst the inferno.

The most grievous damage was inflicted upon a nearby care home housing elderly and disabled residents. Tragically, 20 individuals lost their lives within this facility. According to social media updates, an apartment building in Kyiv also suffered significant harm due to a Russian drone strike. President Volodymyr Zelensky affirmed that the care home had indeed been affected, emphasizing that those responsible for such egregious acts must bear full accountability.

Ukraine's National Police and Security Service have commenced a preliminary investigation, and a criminal case has been initiated to address alleged official negligence. Zelensky stressed that storing ammunition near residential structures is strictly prohibited, vowing that appropriate consequences will be imposed.

The Kyiv region observed August 30 as a day of mourning for the lives lost in the Russian strike. Russia's Defense Ministry attributed the attack to the bombing of a Ukrainian defense company's ammunition warehouse, Fire Point, located in Myla. Further strikes were reported by the ministry, targeting logistics centers in Chaiky and Kalynivka, where components for Ukrainian "Flamingo" cruise missiles were stored.