At least 37 people have died after a Russian drone struck a depot near Kyiv’s western suburbs overnight, sparking a huge fire and explosions, authorities said on Saturday.
The depot, near the capital’s western suburbs, appeared to have been storing “explosive objects”, Ukrainian prosecutors said, as President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested ammunition was to blame.
“Those who allowed this to happen must be held accountable for their decisions… ammunition cannot be stored near homes or other residential areas,” he wrote on social media.
Both Russia and Ukraine have intensified long-range strikes on each other in recent months, sparking fires and sending civilian casualties to record levels.
AFP reporters saw a huge column of black smoke pouring over the capital’s western suburbs, as officials reported the facility was still on fire.
The blast damaged surrounding residential areas, as well as a care home for the elderly and disabled people, Zelensky said.