The death toll resulting from a Russian attack on a warehouse located west of Kyiv, marking the most fatal incident of the year, has climbed to 38 individuals with four still unaccounted for, as revealed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy via social media on Sunday. The assault, which occurred on Friday night on the warehouse – identified by Ukrainian authorities as an ammunition storage site, triggered extensive explosions and fires that engulfed numerous nearby residences and structures.
Efforts by emergency personnel to extinguish fires and detect and disarm explosive devices at the location in the village of Myla are ongoing, according to Zelenskyy. He noted that 20 individuals sustained injuries, including two children. Zelenskyy labeled the attack on Myla as a “horrific situation” on Saturday, attributing it to “grave negligence by those who stored explosives in close proximity to civilians.” An investigation is currently in progress to ascertain the circumstances leading to the storage of ammunition at that site.
The Russian Defense Ministry declared on Sunday its intention to launch “substantial strikes” targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in response to a Ukrainian drone campaign against a retailer dubbed “Russia’s Amazon” and the nation’s oil and gas sector. Kyiv asserts that these sectors both financially support and directly sustain Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov promised “an appropriate retaliation” against what he characterized as Ukraine’s “escalatory actions” and targeting of Russia’s civilian economy.
In recent months, Ukraine has carried out lethal strikes on the facilities of Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries, alleging that the company sells items with dual-use capabilities that aid the Kremlin’s military operations. Ukrainian drones have also targeted Russian oil refineries and other energy assets, leading to an unprecedented fuel shortage in a country that ranks among the world’s top energy producers.
Yevhen Khmara, Ukraine’s new defense minister, announced potential strategies for addressing the multibillion-dollar funding shortfall inherited from his predecessor, including soliciting increased support from allies. Khmara, a former special forces officer turned civilian minister, emphasized the importance of preventing battlefield resource shortages, ensuring soldiers receive payment, and meeting other essential requirements as Kyiv confronts mounting financial pressures.
On Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that its forces had intercepted or neutralized nearly 500 Ukrainian drones launched overnight. Unconfirmed reports from independent news outlets suggested that drone strikes ignited a significant oil refinery in Kirishi, situated southeast of St. Petersburg. The facility, Kirishi Petroleum Organic Synthesis, represents one of Russia’s primary oil refineries and the sole one in the country’s northwest. Local officials reported a fire outbreak in Kirishi’s industrial zone following the drone attacks, with a total of 62 drones downed in the vicinity.
Furthermore, various incidents were reported, including casualties in both Russia and Ukraine as a result of military actions in the region. Notably, a Ukrainian strike on a mine in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine led to the death of a female employee, according to a local official, with several others sustaining injuries across the province. In response, Ukrainian drone strikes caused injuries to at least four individuals in border areas of Russia, as confirmed by local authorities.