Criminal Inquiries Open as Devastating Russian Drone Strike on Kyiv Suburb Munitions Depot Kills 37

KYIV — At least 37 people were killed and dozens more injured after a Russian drone strike hit a military defense depot storing munitions in the town of Myla, located in the Bucha district of the Kyiv region.

The powerful strike triggered massive secondary detonations of stored shells, mines, and drones, reducing the facility to ruins and severely damaging at least 50 surrounding residential buildings—including a local care home for elderly and disabled residents. Regional governor Tymur Tkachenko confirmed that 42 people, including four children, sustained injuries in the blast, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that over 370 residents were successfully evacuated from the impact zone.

The tragedy has ignited intense domestic scrutiny over military logistics and safety protocols. President Zelenskyy acknowledged in a video address that the targeted facility was a defense forces depot storing munitions "that absolutely should not have been there" in such close proximity to civilian neighborhoods. Ukrainian prosecutors have formally opened a criminal investigation into charges of official negligence regarding the storage of explosive materials.

Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi expressed grave concern that crucial lessons had been overlooked following a similar deadly munitions depot blast in Vyshneve earlier in July, which claimed 22 lives.

"In the fifth year of a full-scale invasion, making the same mistakes is criminal negligence," Koretskyi said. "All those guilty, without exception, must be severely punished so that such situations do not happen again."

Emergency response and engineering teams remain deployed in the area as search efforts and structural assessments continue.