Warehouse explosion near Kyiv after Russian drone strike kills 27

At least 27 people have been killed and 42 others injured after an explosion and massive fire at a warehouse near Ukraine's capital Kyiv following a Russian drone strike, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday, August 29. A local mayor was among the dead.

The Russian drone strike on Friday night targeted a warehouse in the Bucha district west of Kyiv, according to Kyiv Regional Governor Tymur Tkachenko . A powerful explosion and rapidly spreading fire followed the strike, later reaching nearby residential buildings and a restaurant.

At least 50 residential buildings in the area were damaged, and more than 380 residents had to be evacuated to avoid further danger . The deceased include the mayor of Dmitrivska village, Taras Didych, officials said.

The incident has raised new questions about what was being stored at the warehouse. Ukrainian officials claimed explosive materials were being kept there, and investigations are now focused on how such materials were stored so close to a residential area .

Ukrainian prosecutors have launched an investigation into whether the necessary approvals and permits for storing explosives were obtained, and whether any negligence or criminal conduct was involved. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said clear restrictions exist on storing ammunition or explosives near residential areas, and a criminal investigation will be conducted.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal called the incident "criminal negligence" and said lessons had not been learned from a similar warehouse attack in Vyshneve near Kyiv in July. "In the fifth year of the full-scale invasion, making the same mistakes over and over is criminal negligence," he said on Telegram.