Russian Strike on Kyiv Region Kills at Least 27, Officials Say

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A Russian attack on the Bucha district, just outside the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, killed at least 27 people on Saturday, local officials reported. Tymur Tkachenko, head of the regional military administration, said the strike damaged at least 50 residential buildings. The attack also sparked a large fire that spread to nearby homes and a restaurant. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the strike hit a warehouse in the village of Myla, causing a massive explosion. He did not specify what was stored there, but he confirmed that criminal proceedings have been opened on charges of official negligence. “There are regulations in place – ammunition cannot be stored near homes or other residential areas,” Zelenskyy stated. The president added that a care home for elderly people and those with disabilities, as well as several residential buildings, were damaged in the blast. He said more than 370 people have been evacuated so far, with rescue efforts continuing. The attack comes as Kyiv has faced almost constant air raids for a third consecutive day. The ongoing strikes are severely disrupting civilian life and choking the local economy, more than four and a half years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.