37 dead after Russian strike on Kyiv depot

"Those who allowed this to happen must be held accountable for their decisions... ammunition cannot be stored near homes or other residential areas," he wrote on X.Both Russia and Ukraine have intensified long-range strikes on each other in recent months, sparking fires and pushing civilian casualties to their highest level since Moscow invaded in 2022.

AFP reporters saw a huge column of black smoke rising over the capital's western suburbs, as officials reported that hundreds had been evacuated from the area. The blast damaged surrounding residential areas, as well as a care home for the elderly and disabled people, Zelensky said.

At least 37 people were killed, among them the mayor of the nearby town of Dmytrivka, Kyiv region governor Tymur Tkachenko said on Telegram. "Rescuers and all relevant services are continuing their operations at the scene of the tragedy," he said.

The depot was located in the town of Myla, on Kyiv's western outskirts. Officials did not say whether it was a military or civilian facility. 'Criminal negligence'Ukrainian prosecutors said they had opened an investigation.

"On 28 August at around 8:10 pm (1710 GMT), an unmanned aerial vehicle... fell on or struck the grounds of an enterprise in the town of Myla," the office of Ukraine's prosecutor general said. "A large-scale fire broke out on the enterprise's grounds, and detonation began," it added.

The prosecutor's office said that its investigation would focus on "the legality of the... storage of explosive objects and materials on the enterprise's grounds", as well as whether the owner, whom it did not name, had the "necessary permits and approvals".

Ukrainian Prime Minister Sergiy Koretsky expressed regret that a "lesson" had not been learned following a previous deadly strike on a munitions depot near Kyiv in July. That investigation revealed serious failings on the part of a state-owned company, which did not comply with regulations regarding the proximity of residential buildings.

"In the fifth year of the full-scale invasion, making the same mistakes over and over is criminal negligence," he said on Telegram. "Everyone responsible, without exception, must face severe punishment so that such situations never happen again.

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