Russian Strike Near Kyiv Leaves at Least 38 Dead
A Russian strike near Kyiv has killed at least 38 people after a drone hit an ammunition storage facility and triggered a devastating chain of explosions in the village of Myla.
The attack occurred at about 8.10pm on 28 August 2026, roughly five kilometres west of Kyiv along the Kyiv-Chop highway. Ukrainian authorities say the initial Russian drone strike ignited a major fire at the facility, after which stored shells, mines, drones and other ammunition began exploding.
The casualty figure initially stood at 27 and later increased to 37. By 30 August, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 38 people had been confirmed dead, while at least 20 others were injured, including two children. Four people were still missing.
More than 300 emergency workers were deployed to the site as firefighters tackled blazes, searched damaged buildings and attempted to neutralise unexploded ammunition.
The disaster has also triggered difficult questions inside Ukraine because the ammunition depot was located close to civilian homes.
Zelenskyy has called for accountability, while Ukrainian authorities have opened investigations into whether officials were negligent in allowing such dangerous material to be stored near residential areas
Where Did the Russian Drone Strike Happen?
The deadly attack occurred in Myla, a village in the Bucha district of Kyiv Oblast.
The community lies west of the Ukrainian capital and close to a major highway connecting Kyiv with western Ukraine.
According to Ukrainian officials, a Russian drone struck a military ammunition depot situated near civilian areas.
Ukraine’s Security Service said the facility was hit by a Geran-4 jet-powered drone, one of a newer generation of faster unmanned aircraft increasingly used by Russia.
The strike itself was only the beginning of the disaster.
Once the ammunition caught fire, explosions continued for hours.
Residents described repeated blasts shaking buildings and sending fragments through the surrounding area.
One witness told the Kyiv Independent that explosions continued every few minutes even after the original air-raid warning had ended. Another witness said the fire looked like an enormous mass of flames rising into the sky.
Massive Secondary Explosions Caused Much of the Destruction
The extraordinary scale of the casualties appears to have resulted not simply from the drone’s warhead but from what happened afterwards.
President Zelenskyy said the initial strike caused a chain reaction involving ammunition stored at the facility.
Shells, mines, drones and other explosive material detonated as the fire spread.
That created repeated secondary explosions capable of throwing dangerous debris across a large area.
Residents reported windows shattering, buildings shaking and pieces of metal falling around the village.
One local described the experience as sounding like “metal rain.”
The continuing detonations also made the emergency response far more dangerous.
Firefighters and rescuers could not simply enter the site immediately because unexploded ammunition remained scattered throughout the area.
That slowed search operations and increased concern that the casualty toll could rise further.
At Least 130 Residential Buildings Damaged
The destruction extended far beyond the depot.
Local authorities say the blast waves, fires and flying debris damaged at least 130 residential buildings.
The blast waves also damaged a care facility that serves elderly people and people with disabilities.
Homes in neighbouring communities suffered broken windows, damaged roofs and structural destruction.
Some residents returned to find rooms covered in shattered glass and debris.
The explosions also disrupted local electricity and water supplies, adding to the difficulties facing families attempting to return to damaged homes.
For many people in Myla, surviving the initial attack was only the start of the crisis.
They now face the challenge of repairing homes while authorities continue clearing explosive material from the surrounding area.
Zelenskyy Blames Russia — But Also Demands Ukrainian Accountability
Ukraine has placed responsibility for the initial attack firmly on Russia.
But President Zelenskyy has also taken the unusual step of publicly demanding answers from Ukrainian officials responsible for the ammunition depot.
The central question is straightforward:
Why was such a large quantity of ammunition stored so close to civilian homes?
Ukrainian law restricts the placement of military or industrial ammunition storage facilities near populated residential areas.
Zelenskyy said criminal investigations had begun and warned that he would hold those responsible for negligence accountable.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Koretskyi went further, describing repeated failures involving ammunition storage during the fifth year of the full-scale invasion as potentially criminal negligence.
That makes this tragedy politically sensitive inside Ukraine as well as militarily significant.
Two People Reportedly Detained in Storage Investigation
The investigation into how the depot came to be located near civilian homes is already producing consequences.
The Guardian reported that Ukrainian investigators have detained two individuals while examining responsibility for the storage arrangements.
Authorities are trying to determine whether safety rules were ignored and whether officials knew civilians could be exposed to catastrophic secondary explosions if the depot was attacked.
The issue is particularly serious because this is not the first similar incident
The Attack Has Become the Deadliest in Ukraine This Year
With 38 confirmed fatalities, the Myla strike has been described as the deadliest Russian attack in Ukraine so far in 2026.
That grim distinction underlines the destructive potential created when a drone strike hits a site containing large quantities of explosives.
The initial weapon does not have to contain an enormous warhead if the target itself can produce a much larger secondary detonation.
This is why military storage safety has become such an urgent issue.
Every ammunition depot is an obvious Russian target.
If such sites are close to neighbourhoods, civilians can become casualties even if the military facility is the intended target.
Ukraine Orders Audit of Ammunition Storage
Ukraine’s Defence Ministry has reportedly ordered a full audit of ammunition storage practices following the disaster.
That audit will likely examine where ammunition is stored, how close facilities are to populated areas and whether safety regulations are being properly followed.
Moving ammunition farther from civilians sounds straightforward.
In practice, wartime logistics are complicated.
Ukraine needs ammunition close enough to transport efficiently to military units while simultaneously protecting stockpiles from Russian surveillance and attack.
But the Myla disaster demonstrates the enormous cost when that balance fails.
Rescue Effort Continues
Emergency work has not ended simply because the main fire is under control.
The latest major update still reported four people missing, meaning rescuers continue searching for victims.
Specialist teams are also locating and neutralising explosive debris.
That could take considerable time.
Investigators will meanwhile collect evidence from the impact site to establish exactly how the drone reached the depot and determine the full sequence leading to the explosions.
For affected residents, recovery will take much longer.
Some homes can be repaired.
Others may require extensive rebuilding.
And families who lost relatives face consequences that reconstruction money cannot fix.
Kyiv Region Declares Day of Mourning
Kyiv Oblast declared 30 August a day of mourning for the victims.
Flags were lowered and communities remembered those killed in the strike and subsequent explosions.
The Ukrainian government has also promised financial assistance for affected families and communities.
Funds from the state reserve budget are expected to help compensate residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed.
But anger remains alongside grief.
People in Myla have criticised both Russia for carrying out the attack and Ukrainian officials for allowing dangerous explosives to be stored so close to their homes.
That dual anger is likely to shape the political response to the tragedy.
Conclusion
The Russian strike near Kyiv has become one of the deadliest incidents in Ukraine this year.
A Russian drone struck an ammunition depot in Myla on 28 August, setting off a catastrophic chain of secondary explosions.
The latest official toll stands at 38 people killed, with at least 20 injured and four still missing.
Hundreds of people evacuated the area; at least 130 residential buildings sustained damage, and emergency crews spent days dealing with fires and unexploded ammunition.
But the disaster has also exposed a serious Ukrainian safety problem.
Russia carried out the strike, yet Ukrainian authorities are now investigating why they located such a dangerous ammunition stockpile near civilian homes.
That question carries added urgency because a similar ammunition-depot explosion occurred in the Kyiv region only weeks earlier.
Meanwhile, Russia’s broader assault continues.
Drone attacks on Kyiv and surrounding areas have now stretched into a fifth consecutive day, with Zelenskyy saying approximately 1,500 drones were launched over just four days.
For the people of Myla, however, the scale of the war is measured far more personally: destroyed homes, shattered windows, missing relatives and a village that spent the night listening to ammunition explode.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people died in the Russian strike near Kyiv?
The latest confirmed death toll is 38, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At least 20 people were injured and four were still missing.
Where did the attack happen?
The strike hit an ammunition storage facility in Myla, in the Bucha district of Kyiv Oblast, about five kilometres west of Kyiv.
What caused the massive explosion?
A Russian drone struck the ammunition facility, causing stored shells, mines, drones and other explosives to detonate in a chain reaction.
What type of drone was used?
Ukraine’s Security Service identified the weapon as a Russian Geran-4 jet-powered drone.
How many homes were damaged?
At least 130 residential buildings were damaged, along with a care facility and other local infrastructure.
Why is Ukraine investigating its officials?
Authorities are investigating whether ammunition was improperly stored too close to civilian homes. Zelenskyy has demanded accountability, and Ukraine’s Defence Ministry has ordered an audit of ammunition-storage practices.
