Russian Strike Near Kyiv Kills 37 in One of the Year's Deadliest Attacks

At least 37 people died in a Russian strike near Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, on Saturday, making it one of the deadliest attacks this year. The strike ignited a fire in the Bucha district, west of Kyiv, that spread through homes and damaged at least 50 residential buildings, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the local regional military administration.

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terrible situation

The attack occurred as Russian air raids on Kyiv entered their third day, significantly disrupting civilian life and the economy over four and a half years into Russia's full-scale invasion. The nature of the strike, followed by explosions, has raised serious questions for Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelensky described the situation as "terrible" and cited "terrible negligence on the part of those who stored explosives right next to people."

Zelensky stated that a warehouse in the village of Myla was struck, leading to a detonation. He noted that Ukrainian law prohibits storing ammunition near civilian homes and that criminal proceedings have been initiated. "Those who allowed this to happen must be held accountable for their decisions," Zelensky declared. He also reported that a care home for the elderly and disabled was damaged, and an evacuation was underway. Regional head Tkachenko later cited Ukrainian media stating that 34 of the deceased were residents of the care facility.

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terrible negligence on the part of those who stored explosives right next to people.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi referenced a similar incident in July where an ammunition depot strike in Vyshneve killed 22 people and caused extensive damage. "Unfortunately, we can already see that the terrible tragedy in Vyshneve did not become a lesson," Koretskyi said. "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."

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followed by a detonation.

Russia's Ministry of Defense claimed it targeted a warehouse in Myla containing components and launch boosters for long-range drones. They also reported attacks on ports and logistics centers in the Kyiv region storing parts for Ukraine's Flamingo cruise missiles. Zelensky later announced that two officials from state-owned companies, including arms producer Ukroboronprom, would be held accountable for illegally allowing weapons storage at the Vyshneve site.

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Those who allowed this to happen must be held accountable for their decisions.