At least 37 people were killed and 42 injured when a Russian drone struck a warehouse in the Bucha district near Kyiv, sparking detonations and a major fire that damaged dozens of residential buildings.
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Key facts
- At least 37 people were killed in the strike, according to the Guardian and NPR.
- Ukraine's regional governor Tymur Tkachenko said 42 people, including four children, were injured.
- The warehouse appeared to be storing 'explosive objects', and one report said it was a depot owned by Ukraine's military.
- At least 50 residential buildings were damaged, including a care home for elderly and disabled people.
- The attack comes amid 72 hours of near-constant drone strikes across Ukraine, according to NPR.
At least 37 people have been killed after a Russian drone struck a warehouse near Kyiv’s western suburbs, according to the Guardian and NPR. The site appears to have been storing ‘explosive objects’, which caused detonations and a huge fire in the Bucha district of the Kyiv region.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the warehouse was struck and ‘followed by a detonation’, triggering a major fire and explosions, according to Al Jazeera. The blaze and blasts spread damage well beyond the depot itself.
The regional governor, Tymur Tkachenko, said a further 42 people, including four children, had been injured in the drone strike, according to the Guardian. The attack damaged at least 50 residential buildings, among them a care home for elderly and disabled people.
Accounts of the warehouse’s ownership varied across reporting. The Guardian described it as a business ‘apparently storing explosive objects’, while a later report from the same outlet said the depot was owned by Ukraine’s military and was storing weapons.
NPR reported that the deadly strike came amid 72 hours of near-constant drone strikes across Ukraine, which have severely disrupted daily life. It described the attack as one of the year’s deadliest.
Early casualty figures shifted as the situation developed, with initial reporting from Al Jazeera citing at least 27 killed before later reports put the toll at least 37.
Why it matters
The strike is among the deadliest attacks in Ukraine this year and highlights the growing toll of sustained Russian drone campaigns on civilian areas. The damage to homes and a care home underscores the human cost of the conflict as strikes continue across the country.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were killed in the Kyiv warehouse strike?
At least 37 people were killed, according to the Guardian and NPR, with an additional 42 injured, including four children, according to regional governor Tymur Tkachenko. Early reporting had cited at least 27 deaths before the toll rose.
What was stored in the warehouse that was hit?
The warehouse appeared to be storing 'explosive objects', according to the Guardian. A later report from the same outlet said the depot was owned by Ukraine's military and was storing weapons, which contributed to the detonations and fire.
What areas were damaged in the attack?
At least 50 residential buildings were damaged in the Bucha district of the Kyiv region, including a care home for elderly and disabled people, according to the Guardian.
Timeline
- Russian strike near Kyiv kills 37, in one of the year's deadliest attacks
NPR News: The deadly strike comes amid 72 hours of near constant drone strikes across Ukraine, severely disrupting daily life.
- Russian drone strike on Kyiv warehouse storing weapons kills at least 37
The Guardian World: Attack on depot owned by Ukraine military causes detonations and huge fire, damaging residential buildings At least 37 people have been killed after a Russian drone struck a warehouse near Kyiv’s western suburbs that was storing “explosive objects”. The attack damaged at least 50
- Russian strike on warehouse near Kyiv kills at least 37
The Guardian World: Attack on business apparently storing ‘explosive objects’ sparks huge fire, damaging residential buildings At least 37 people have been killed after a Russian drone struck a warehouse near Kyiv’s western suburbs which appears to have been storing “explosive objects”. The attack d
- Russian attack on warehouse near Ukraine’s Kyiv kills at least 37
Al Jazeera: Ukraine's President Zelenskyy says warehouse was struck, 'followed by a detonation', causing a major fire.
- Russian attack on warehouse near Ukraine’s Kyiv kills at least 27
Al Jazeera: Zelenskyy says a warehouse was struck outside Kyiv, 'followed by a detonation', triggering a major fire and explosions.