Russian strike on Kyiv warehouse kills 38, deadliest attack this year

The death toll from a Russian strike on a warehouse west of Kyiv has risen to 38, with four people still unaccounted for, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The attack, which occurred on Friday night, is the deadliest single strike of the war so far this year.

Ukrainian officials identified the target as an ammunition storage facility. The strike triggered massive explosions and fires that spread to dozens of nearby homes and buildings in the village of Myla. Emergency crews continue to extinguish blazes and work to identify and neutralize explosive devices at the site. Zelenskyy reported that 20 people were injured, including two children.

Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that it is preparing "massive strikes" against Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The ministry framed the planned attacks as retaliation for Kyiv's drone campaign against Russian civilian infrastructure and the fuel and energy sector. Ukraine has recently targeted facilities of Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, alleging the company supplies dual-use goods supporting the war effort. Ukrainian drones have also struck Russian oil refineries, contributing to fuel shortages in the country.

Russian forces have systematically targeted Ukraine's power grid in previous winters, leaving thousands without heat and electricity in freezing conditions. Ukrainian officials have warned that the coming winter could be the most challenging since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Separately, at least three people were injured in a Russian drone strike on Kyiv late Saturday. A fire broke out between the second and fifth floors of a 12-story residential building in the Obolonskyi district, and rescue workers responded to fires in three other districts of the capital. Non-residential and administrative buildings in two locations were also affected, according to state emergency services.