Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed Thursday that a Russian strike earlier this week targeted an ammunition depot in the Kyiv region, and announced that a criminal investigation has been opened in response.
The attack struck the small town of Vyshneve, located on the western outskirts of Kyiv, on July 6. The strike hit the weapons warehouse and triggered a chain of powerful secondary explosions. Ukrainian officials reported that 10 people lost their lives and hundreds of residential structures were damaged in the blast.
Speaking to journalists through a WhatsApp media chat, Zelenskiy did not hold back in his assessment of the situation. “As for the investigation into the explosion in Vyshneve, the situation is absolutely appalling: There was an ammunition depot in Vyshneve. The enemy struck this depot, causing a large number of casualties and significant losses,” he said.
It is uncommon for Ukrainian officials to publicly acknowledge damage to military targets following Russian strikes, making Zelenskiy’s admission notable.
The president said a criminal case has been opened and that officials at Ukroboronprom — the state-owned weapons manufacturer that owned the warehouse — would be held accountable, with some facing termination from their positions.
The incident has generated significant public anger, with local residents accusing authorities of negligence and complaining that they were kept in the dark about the presence of the ammunition depot in their community.
