At least 37 people have been killed following a Russian attack on Ukraine’s Bucha district near the capital, Kyiv, as almost continuous air raids entered their third day and further disrupted civilian life and economic activity in the region.
Tymur Tkachenko, Head of the Kyiv regional military administration, said that the attack damaged at least 50 residential buildings and triggered a large fire that spread to homes and a restaurant. Emergency crews were deployed to the affected areas as authorities worked to evacuate residents and assess the damage.
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that a warehouse in the village of Myla had been struck and that the impact was followed by a large detonation. He did not identify the contents of the facility but said authorities had opened criminal proceedings over alleged official negligence. “There are regulations in place – ammunition cannot be stored near homes or other residential areas,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian President said that a care facility for elderly people and people with disabilities, along with nearby residential buildings, had also been damaged. He added that more than 370 people had been evacuated from the area, with evacuation efforts continuing.
The attack has raised questions in Ukraine over the storage of potentially dangerous military materials near populated areas, particularly as Russian strikes continue to target military and infrastructure sites across the country.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense stated that its forces had struck a warehouse in Myla that was storing components and launch boosters for long-range drones. Moscow also said that it had attacked the ports of Mykolaiv and Izmail, as well as a logistics centre and warehouses containing components for Ukraine’s Flamingo cruise missiles in the Kyiv region. The Russian claims could not immediately be independently verified.
The latest strikes come as Kyiv faces sustained aerial attacks that have stretched emergency services and disrupted normal activity in the capital and surrounding areas. Businesses, transportation networks and other civilian services have been affected as residents remain under repeated air-raid alerts.
The attacks have also extended beyond the Kyiv region. In southern Ukraine’s Kherson region, Russian strikes launched today killed two people and wounded 27 others, according to Regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin.
Prokudin said that residential homes and apartment buildings were damaged in the attacks and that a child was among those injured. He said that Russian forces had intensified strikes on critical infrastructure in the region, around 70 percent of which remains under Russian control.
Earlier in the week, Prokudin urged tens of thousands of residents to consider relocating to safer areas because prolonged attacks could result in power and heating disruptions during the winter. The continuing strikes have added to concerns about Ukraine’s ability to protect critical infrastructure and maintain essential services as the war enters another winter.
Incident Linked To Earlier Attack In Kyiv Suburb
Ukrainian Prime Minister, Serhii Koretskyi linked the latest incident to an earlier attack in the Kyiv suburb of Vyshneve, where an ammunition depot was struck earlier this month. That incident killed 22 people and triggered explosions and fires that spread to nearby homes.
“Unfortunately, we can already see that the terrible tragedy in Vyshneve did not become a lesson. In the fifth year of a full-scale invasion, making the same mistakes is criminal negligence. And all those guilty, without exception, must be severely punished so that such situations do not happen again.”
Serhii Koretskyi
The Ukrainian government has repeatedly sought to strengthen air defence capabilities as Russian forces continue to launch missiles and drones against military, energy and industrial targets. While Ukrainian authorities say many incoming weapons are intercepted, debris from destroyed missiles and drones can still cause casualties and damage buildings.
The latest attack illustrates the difficult situation that Ukraine faces as it attempts to protect military assets and sustain its defence industry while also limiting risks to civilian populations. Zelenskyy’s decision to announce criminal proceedings over the Myla incident suggests that Ukrainian authorities are examining not only the consequences of the Russian strike but also whether domestic safety procedures were followed.
Meanwhile, emergency responders continue to work in affected areas, with evacuations and damage assessments ongoing. The death toll could change as rescue and recovery operations continue. The latest attacks underscore the continuing human and economic costs of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
As Russian strikes persist across Kyiv and other regions, Ukrainian authorities face the dual challenge of defending critical military infrastructure while protecting civilians living close to potential targets.
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