The Ukraine War has entered another dangerous phase after a Russian drone strike hit an ammunition depot near Kyiv, triggering a huge explosion and killing at least 38 people. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the blast also injured civilians and caused major damage around the village of Myla.

The attack took place late Friday at a military facility storing artillery shells, mines, drones and other ammunition. The strike caused a series of explosions and fires. As a result, hundreds of residents left the area while emergency crews worked to contain the damage.

Nearby homes and other buildings suffered heavy damage. A facility for elderly people and people with disabilities also came under the impact of the blast. The head of a neighbouring village died after travelling to the area to help during the emergency.

Deadly blast prompts nationwide audit

Zelensky described the incident as a serious failure and questioned why authorities stored explosive materials so close to residential areas. He said Ukrainian authorities had opened criminal proceedings to investigate possible official negligence.

The Defence Ministry has now ordered a full audit of weapons storage facilities across the country. Officials will review how military supplies are stored and whether current sites meet safety requirements.

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The Kyiv region experienced a similar incident last month. A Russian strike in Vyshneve triggered explosions at another site and killed 10 people. The blast also damaged hundreds of homes.

Zelensky said Ukraine could not ignore another incident involving ammunition storage. He called for accountability and said authorities must establish what went wrong.

Russian drone attacks continue across Kyiv

Meanwhile, Russian forces continued their aerial campaign against Kyiv and surrounding areas. The latest attack came during a third consecutive day of heavy strikes.

Zelensky said Russian forces also targeted nine other Ukrainian regions overnight. Kyiv faced repeated drone attacks, forcing residents to seek shelter as air raid warnings sounded across the capital.

Ukrainian air defence units responded to several waves of drones. However, the attacks caused further civilian casualties.

A 14-year-old girl died during a drone attack in the Boryspil district, according to regional governor Tymur Tkachenko. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko also reported the death of a two-year-old girl after debris from a downed drone struck the city.

The attacks also damaged residential buildings and infrastructure around the capital. Emergency workers continued clearing debris and dealing with the aftermath of the strikes.

Fighting continues on several fronts

At the same time, fighting continued along the front line. Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed that its forces had captured Khrapivshchyna in the Sumy region, as well as Novoandriivka and Rubizhne in Donetsk.

Ukraine has not confirmed those battlefield claims. The situation remains difficult to verify independently because fighting continues across several areas.

Ukraine also launched attacks inside Russian territory. Officials in Russia’s Belgorod region said an attack killed three people and injured nine others. They said the strike also caused a fire at a warehouse belonging to retailer Ozon.

In Crimea, authorities in Russian-controlled Sevastopol reported that a separate strike killed one person.

Peace efforts remain uncertain

Despite the continuing violence, diplomatic efforts have made little progress. Russia continues to demand major territorial concessions from Ukraine. Kyiv has rejected those demands as unacceptable.

US-led efforts to restart negotiations also face uncertainty. CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Moscow earlier this week as Washington continued efforts to explore a possible diplomatic path.

For now, however, the latest attacks show that the conflict remains highly volatile. The deadly blast near Kyiv has also renewed questions about military safety procedures and the risks of storing ammunition near civilian communities.

As Ukraine investigates the depot explosion, the nationwide audit could determine whether other weapons facilities face similar risks. The findings may also lead to changes in how the country stores and protects military supplies during the ongoing war.