Deadliest Russian Attack of 2026: 37 Killed in Kyiv Warehouse Strike

POLICY WIRE — Myla, Ukraine — A Russian drone targeted a warehouse near Kyiv, leading to the deaths of at least 37 people. This marks one of the most lethal attacks in Ukraine this year.

The warehouse, located in the village of Myla in the Bucha district, was reportedly storing shells, mines, and other ammunition. The strike triggered massive explosions and fires, devastating nearby homes and buildings.

The attack occurred on Friday night, amid a series of relentless Russian strikes that have disrupted life in and around the Ukrainian capital. Kyiv officials have noted that Russia frequently accumulates missile stocks and launches major attacks every few days, aiming to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of the local regional military administration, reported that the warehouse strike ignited fires that spread through homes and damaged at least 50 residential buildings. He later stated that 34 of the deceased were residents of a care home for the elderly and disabled. Over 370 people were evacuated from the area.

Village resident Oleksandr Vodolaz recounted the moment the drone struck, leading to a series of detonations. Another local, Zhanna Kravchuk, questioned why weapons were stored in warehouses instead of being deployed on the front lines.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, describing it as a “terrible situation” resulting from “terrible negligence” by those who stored explosives near residential areas. He emphasized that Ukrainian law prohibits the storage of ammunition close to people’s homes and announced the opening of criminal proceedings.

In a social media post, Zelenskyy clarified that the first strike hit an ammunition storage site that should not have been located there. He called for accountability for those responsible.

Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi referenced a similar July attack in Vyshneve, which also struck an ammunition depot, killing 22 and causing extensive damage. He stressed the need to learn from past mistakes to prevent future tragedies.

Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed the strike targeted a warehouse storing components and launch boosters for long-range drones. They also reported attacks on ports and logistics centers in the Kyiv region.

Meanwhile, Russian strikes in the southern Kherson region killed two and wounded 27, including a child. Regional administration head Oleksandr Prokudin urged residents to move to safer areas due to the threat of prolonged power and heating outages.

Ukraine has increased its use of long-range drones to target Russian military industries and energy facilities, aiming to cut into Moscow’s war funding. President Zelenskyy announced plans to ramp up these attacks, aiming for 1000 drone launches daily.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)