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Russian strike kills 27 in Kyiv, Zelensky says military weapons stored at site

Russian strike kills 27 in Kyiv, Zelensky says military weapons stored at site

Photograph: (AFP)

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A Russian drone strike on a warehouse near Kyiv killed at least 27 people, with President Volodymyr Zelensky saying the Ukrainian military had stored shells, drones and other ammunition at the site.

At least 27 people were killed after a Russian drone struck a warehouse near the western suburbs of Kyiv overnight, Ukrainian authorities said on Saturday. The attack caused a huge fire and triggered several explosions. Zelensky later said it was used to store ammunition for the military.

Ukrainian prosecutors said the warehouse appeared to contain "explosive objects". They have opened an investigation into possible criminal negligence. Authorities have not given details about the facility or the material stored there.

The attack was the second to hit a munitions depot near Kyiv in less than two months, and prompted angry calls from Ukrainian officials to stop storing munitions near residential areas.

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The incident comes as Russia and Ukraine have increased long-range attacks against each other in recent months. The strikes have caused fires and pushed civilian casualties to their highest levels since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Zelensky demands accountability

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said those responsible for allowing ammunition to be stored near residential areas must be held accountable.

"Those who allowed this to happen must be held accountable for their decisions... ammunition cannot be stored near homes or other residential areas," Zelensky said in a post on X.

Zelensky later said the warehouse belonged to the Ukrainian military and contained shells, drones and other ammunition.

"The first impact was on a place where ammunition was being stored that absolutely should not have been there, a depot of the Defence Forces. Detonation of shells, mines, other munitions, and drones. On a significant scale," Zelensky said in a video address.

He again stressed that ammunition must not be stored close to homes or residential areas.

"There are regulations in place -– ammunition cannot be stored near homes or other residential areas. Appropriate conclusions will certainly be drawn," Zelensky said in a post on X.

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Ajaypal Choudhary

Driven by a deep interest in international politics and geo-economics, Ajaypal Choudhary writes on and analyses a wide range of subjects from geopolitics and the global economy to ...Read More