At least 27 dead and hundreds evacuated after strike on Kyiv warehouse
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Rorey Bosotti
Reuters
A major response was launched after the overnight attack in the Kyiv region. Twenty-seven people have been killed and almost 400 evacuated following a Russian drone strike on a warehouse near Kyiv, causing a fire and subsequent explosions. Regional governor Tymur Tkachenko reported that 42 people, including four children, were injured.
An investigation is underway to determine if ammunition was stored at the site, where search and rescue operations continued early Saturday. Meanwhile, Tkachenko confirmed the death of a 14-year-old in a separate attack in Boryspil district.
In Russia, local officials state that two people were killed and 21 injured due to strikes in Belgorod and Rostov regions over the past 24 hours.
President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his condolences to the families of the warehouse strike victims, emphasizing that more than 300 emergency responders were deployed to the scene. He initiated an investigation into potential negligence, stating: "The regulations are clear: ammunition must not be stored near houses or other residential buildings. Appropriate conclusions will certainly be drawn."
Russia's Ministry of Defence claimed its forces targeted "an ammunition depot" in Myla village, storing components and launch boosters for FP-1/FP-2 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles.
Zelensky also reported strikes overnight in Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia regions. He emphasized the need for international support to protect Ukraine from such attacks.
The Ukrainian army claimed to have shot down 233 Russian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during the night into Saturday.
Reuters
Smoke was visible near a residential area in Kyiv region early Saturday morning following the strike.
In recent months, both Russia and Ukraine have intensified their attacks, with Kyiv focusing on targeting Russian economic infrastructure.
Russian online retailer Ozon revealed that one of its logistics centres was struck by Ukrainian drones overnight. They also suspended operations at another centre due to safety concerns. This week, Ozon's facilities in Krasnodar, Dagestan, Stavropol, and Adygea were targeted, resulting in injuries and significant damage.
Ukraine has been striking sites belonging to Wildberries, a popular Russian e-commerce platform, for weeks.