Russian strike on warehouse near Kyiv kills dozens

Hundreds were also forced to evacuate after a Russian attack on a warehouse near Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, sparked a huge fire and explosions.

A Russian drone strike on a warehouse near Kyiv late Friday has killed at least 37 people, Ukrainian authorities said.

"Unfortunately, the death toll in the Bucha district has risen to 37," Kyiv region governor Tymur Tkachenko said in a post on Telegram on Saturday.

Among those killed was Taras Didych, head of the Dmytrivka community, who was one of the first to rush to the scene to rescue people, Tkachenko earlier said.

It had previously been reported that more than 40 people had been injured.

In recent months, Russia and Ukraine have intensified long-range strikes, increasingly hitting civilian infrastructure such as logistics warehouses and oil and port facilities. These attacks have resulted in more civilian casualties. 

What else do we know about the Russian drone attack near Kyiv?

The strike sparked a major fire and explosions at the warehouse in the Bucha district, close to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, forcing more than 370 people to evacuate the region.

In a statement on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that "a warehouse was struck, followed by a detonation," and that nearby infrastructure suffered "significant damage."

He also said that criminal proceedings had been opened on charges of official negligence.

"There are regulations in place — ammunition cannot be stored near homes or other residential areas," Zelenskyy said. 

Kyiv under jet-powered drone attacks

Friday's drone attack followed ​two days of constant air raids aimed at the Ukrainian capital and the surrounding region.

"Kyiv is under virtually nonstop attack from jet-powered drones. Ukraine cannot be left alone in finding solutions to defend against such strikes," said Zelenskyy.

It's been more than four and a half years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbor.

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko

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