At Least 37 Killed in Devastating Russian Drone Attack and Warehouse Blasts Near Kyiv

At least 37 people have been killed and dozens wounded after a Russian drone attack triggered a massive fire and multiple explosions that lasted for hours at a warehouse in a residential area near Kyiv.

The strike in the Bucha district occurred amid nearly constant aerial assaults from Russia. Initial reports suggest that the storage of ammunition at the warehouse led to catastrophic consequences. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to hold those responsible accountable.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv region military administration, stated that 37 people were confirmed dead as of Saturday afternoon. This makes the incident one of the deadliest tragedies Kyiv has experienced since the start of the war more than four years ago. “This is a terrible and irreparable loss. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families and loved ones of those who have died,” Tkachenko said.

Tkachenko previously reported that more than 40 people sustained injuries in the attack, while over 380 individuals—including dozens of children—required evacuation from the area. At least 50 residential buildings suffered damage. Visuals shared by local residents revealed completely destroyed structures, leaving little more than bare walls and scorched earth.

Meanwhile, Russia’s defense ministry stated that its forces targeted an arms depot used for storing drone-making equipment. President Volodymyr Zelensky did not explicitly detail the exact nature of the warehouse hit by Russian forces, but announced that an investigation would be launched because “ammunition cannot be stored near homes or other residential areas.”

Additionally, the office of Ukraine’s Prosecutor General released a statement indicating that “explosive objects and materials” were present on the premises. An office spokesperson confirmed that an inquiry is underway regarding “the circumstances surrounding the explosion on the premises of the facility and the actions of the officials responsible.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that a care home for elderly citizens and individuals living with disabilities was among the dozens of buildings damaged, adding that more than 300 emergency services personnel were actively responding at the scene.

The deadly blast took place during more than two days of relentless Russian attacks on Kyiv. According to a CNN tally, residents endured 28 air raid alerts between midnight on Thursday and midday on Saturday, accumulating more than 28 hours of total alert time. While some missile strikes occurred on Thursday, the majority of recent attacks involved jet-powered drones.

These jet-powered drones represent a relatively new addition to Russia’s arsenal, having first appeared around the beginning of the year. Capable of reaching speeds up to 500 kilometers per hour (310 miles per hour), they successfully evade Ukraine’s air defenses. Because they move too fast for Kyiv’s mobile fire groups, defense forces must rely on ground-to-air missiles or fighter jets to shoot them down—both of which remain in severely limited supply in Ukraine.