Kyiv Region Warehouse Strike: Death Toll Climbs to 38, Survivors Describe Terror

The death toll from a Russian strike on a warehouse west of Kyiv has risen to 38, making it the deadliest attack of the year so far, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Four people remain missing, and 20 others were injured, including two children.

The attack, which occurred on Friday night, targeted what Ukrainian officials described as an ammunition storage facility. The strike triggered massive explosions and fires that spread to nearby homes and buildings. Emergency workers are still extinguishing blazes and dealing with unexploded ordnance at the site.

Residents in the village of Myla, in the Kyiv region, described the terror of the attack. Inna Kryzhanivska, 42, said people are now afraid to live, unsure which areas are safe. "We don't know where things might be, where they might be kept, and which corners of ours or someone else's region are safe," she said.

Iryna Chernovol, 50, recounted the harrowing moments when the strike hit. "The drone struck nearby first, then there was this crazy explosion," she said. She managed to call her daughter and yell at her family to run to the basement just before the first blast. Chernovol herself was outside with nowhere to hide, so she sheltered in a drain pipe until midnight.

Tetiana Yalovchak, another resident, returned home to find her windows blown out and her roof damaged. Having fled Donetsk in 2014, she said, "I have the full set" of experiences with conflict. Despite the destruction, she remained defiant: "We are a nation of winners, we are the coolest, we stick together, glory to Ukraine!"

Zelenskyy said a probe is underway into how and why ammunition was stored near residential areas. The strike comes as Russia has sharply intensified its air campaign in recent days, with repeated air raid alerts and explosions reported across Kyiv. Residents were seen lining up to file compensation documents and seeking shelter as air raid sirens continued to sound.