KYIV: The death toll from a Russian strike on an ammunition depot in Ukraine's Kyiv region has risen to 38 and the search continues for four people who are still missing, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday. The deadliest Russian strike in the Kyiv area this year took place late on Friday as Moscow launched an intense campaign of attacks on the Ukrainian capital, which has continued over the weekend.
Friday's blast hit a military facility that held artillery shells, mines, drones and other ammunition. Zelensky said on Telegram that first responders had managed to extinguish most of the fires. However, the scale of contamination in the area was significant, and this work would continue for as long as necessary.
The president released video footage showing firefighting teams battling blazes and removing debris from destroyed buildings. In its intensified attacks on the country, Russia over the last week launched nearly 2,000 strike drones, more than 1,600 aerial bombs, and 31 missiles, including North Korean ballistic missiles, Zelensky said.
"We are seeking just responses to every Russian strike and crime. They will certainly come," he said. International observers and local authorities have expressed deep concern over the mounting civilian and military casualties as the conflict enters another severe phase.