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Firefighters extinguish a warehouse fire caused by a Russian drone strike near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on the 29th, local time. / AP, Yonhap

At least 27 people have died in the Bucha area near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv following a Russian drone strike. Ukrainian authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding a chain of secondary explosions at the scene, while also conducting a criminal investigation into whether official negligence was involved in storing ammunition near a residential area.

According to Ukrainian authorities on the 29th (local time), Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, announced that 27 people have been confirmed dead so far from the Russian drone strike in the Bucha district.

Tkachenko explained that the exact scale of damage is being compiled and the death toll could rise further. The strike damaged at least 50 residential buildings, and a major fire that broke out reportedly spread to nearby homes and restaurants.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in an announcement that a chain of explosions occurred after a warehouse in the village of Myla was struck.

While President Zelensky did not specify the warehouse's detailed purpose, he explained that a criminal investigation into charges of official negligence has been launched.

In particular, he cited relevant regulations prohibiting the storage of ammunition near residential areas, emphasizing that an investigation must look into whether commanders or managers committed negligence during management and supervisory processes.

As Russian airstrikes on Kyiv have continued for a third straight day, damage to civilian areas, including residential and commercial facilities, has persisted. Ukrainian authorities plan to determine the precise circumstances of the attack and the scale of damage, while also investigating whether there were regulatory violations in the ammunition storage process.

                                                                                                           Lee Jeong-eun