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Russian drone attack on a warehouse near Kyiv in Ukraine has killed at least 37 people and injured 42 others after triggering a huge explosion in one of the country’s deadliest attacks this year.
The attack happened on Friday evening in Myla, a village west of Kyiv.
Ukrainian officials said a fire started at the warehouse after the drone attack. Several explosions then followed.
The blasts damaged about 50 homes and other buildings near the warehouse. More than 370 people were forced to leave the area as emergency workers fought the fire and searched for victims.
The attack has also raised questions about what was being kept at the warehouse and why explosive materials were stored so close to homes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the warehouse contained explosive materials.
He called for those responsible for storing the materials to be held accountable.
Authorities have started an investigation to find out whether officials failed to follow safety rules.
Investigators are also checking whether the explosive materials were legally stored at the warehouse and whether the facility has the required safety approval.
Among those killed was Taras Didych, the head of the neighbouring Dmytrivka rural community.
A facility that cares for elderly people and people with disabilities was also affected by the attack.
Russia has not accepted responsibility for the civilian deaths. However, its Defence Ministry said Russian forces had attacked an ammunition depot in the Myla area during overnight strikes.
The attack came as Russia continued its drone and missile attacks on different parts of Ukraine.
Ukraine has also increased its long-range drone attacks on targets inside Russia.
Both countries are increasingly using drones in the war, which began when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
For people living in Myla, the attack has left homes damaged, hundreds of people displaced and many families mourning their loved ones.
The investigation will now look at whether the way explosive materials were stored at the warehouse made the disaster worse.
