Kyiv Pounded by Russian Drones for Days, 37 Killed
Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, is once again facing the terror of Russian air strikes. Over the past several days, air raid sirens have continued to wail as wave after wave of Russian drones flooded the city, draining Ukraine’s limited air defences and leaving residents increasingly exhausted after years of war.
The latest Russian attack targeted a number of warehouses and shopping centres. On Saturday (29/8/2026), Ukrainian authorities said at least 37 people were killed in an attack on a facility outside Kyiv.
The attack, which occurred on Friday night (28/8/2026), triggered a large number of secondary explosions, blanketing the suburban area in plumes of smoke. Ukrainian authorities did not specify the type of facility, but their statements indicated that the site was an ammunition depot.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a criminal investigation into the management of the warehouse has been launched. The facility was located near residential areas, as well as facilities used for the elderly and people with disabilities. The Kyiv region will also declare Sunday a day of mourning.
A similar incident occurred last month when an ammunition depot in another area outside Kyiv was destroyed, killing several people. The decision to store dangerous weaponry in civilian areas is also being investigated separately.
“Making the same mistake during the fifth year of the full-scale invasion is criminal negligence,” said Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi.
“And all those responsible, without exception, must face severe punishment so that situations like this do not happen again,” he added.
Ukraine is now struggling to cope with Russian drone attacks. Some of these drones use jet engines that allow them to fly at speeds of nearly 400 miles per hour.
The latest drone attack campaign also comes as Ukraine faces a severe shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles, the only weapon the country has to shoot down ballistic missiles.
Russia has exploited this gap in Ukraine’s arsenal throughout the summer. Residents are bracing for the possibility of waves of drone attacks deliberately used to drain Ukraine’s air defence units before a larger ballistic missile strike in the coming days.
Previously, Russia often launched reconnaissance drones during the day before carrying out combined drone and missile attacks at night. However, the deployment of large numbers of armed drones that now flood Kyiv every day indicates a new tactic to spread fear and anxiety.
Although most shops and restaurants in Kyiv remain open, the ongoing attacks have caused severe traffic congestion and delays to metro services.
The situation also has the potential to disrupt plans for students to return to school on Tuesday (1/9/2026).