The death toll resulting from a Russian attack on a warehouse located west of Kyiv, marking the most fatal incident in the ongoing conflict this year, has climbed to 38 individuals, with four persons still unaccounted for, as revealed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy via social media on Sunday.

The assault, which occurred on Friday night on the warehouse – identified by Ukrainian authorities as an ammunition storage site – triggered substantial explosions and fires that engulfed numerous nearby residences and structures.

Efforts by emergency responders are ongoing to extinguish fires, as well as to identify and neutralize explosive devices at the site in the village of Myla, according to Zelenskyy.

Zelenskyy mentioned that 20 individuals sustained injuries, including two children.

In a statement on Saturday, Zelenskyy described the Myla attack as “a tragic situation” and a consequence of “grave negligence on the part of those who stored explosives in close proximity to civilians.” He indicated that an investigation is currently underway to determine how and why the ammunition was stored at that location.

Russia pledges ‘massive strikes’ targeting energy sector

The Russian Defence Ministry announced on Sunday its intentions to execute “massive strikes” against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, following a series of Ukrainian drone operations targeting a retailer dubbed “Russia’s Amazon” and the nation’s oil and gas sector, which Kyiv alleges both financially supports and directly fuels Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, on Sunday, promised “an appropriate response” to what he characterized as Ukraine’s “escalatory path” and its targeting of Russia’s civilian economy.

Ukraine has conducted lethal strikes in recent months on the facilities of Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries, citing the sale of dual-use goods aiding the Kremlin’s military endeavors. Ukrainian drones have also launched attacks on Russian oil refineries and other energy infrastructure, leading to an unprecedented fuel crisis in a country renowned as one of the world’s primary energy producers.

Ukraine’s new defense chief aims to bridge funding shortfall

Yevhen Khmara, Ukraine’s newly appointed defence minister, indicated that the ministry is exploring options to address the multibillion-dollar funding deficit left by his predecessor, including seeking increased contributions from allies.

Khmara made these statements during his initial press briefing since assuming the role on Saturday. His appointment followed weeks of protests subsequent to the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov, which initiated a military reorganization in Kyiv, culminating in a video in which Fedorov advocated for elections. Khmara’s remarks were released for publication on Sunday.

Khmara, a former special forces officer who transitioned from military service to become a civilian minister, assumes leadership as Kyiv’s war efforts encounter escalating financial constraints. He emphasized the importance of averting shortages on the battlefield while ensuring soldiers receive compensation and other critical requirements are met.

Kyiv deploys hundreds of drones into Russia

Additionally, on Sunday, the Russian Defence Ministry reported that its forces had intercepted or neutralized nearly 500 Ukrainian drones launched overnight.

Independent news sources on Russian and Ukrainian Telegram platforms claimed that the drone strikes ignited a major fire at a prominent oil refinery in Kirishi, located southeast of St Petersburg. This facility, Kirishi Petroleum Organic Synthesis, represents one of Russia’s largest oil refineries and the sole one in the country’s northwest.

While there has been no immediate official confirmation, local governor Alexander Drozdenko reported on Sunday that a fire had erupted “in Kirishi’s industrial zone” following the drone attacks. He mentioned that a total of 62 drones were downed in the surrounding region.

In separate incidents on Saturday, Russian strikes in Kyiv resulted in the death of a two-year-old girl and injuries to 12 individuals, as announced by Mayor Vitali Klitschko via Telegram on Sunday. In the village of Bilbasovka in eastern Ukraine, a 13-year-old and an adult lost their lives after Russian forces bombed private residences on Sunday, according to local official Vadim Lyakh.

Furthermore, a Ukrainian strike on a mine in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine led to the death of a female employee, as reported by a Kremlin-appointed regional official, Leonid Pasechnik. Five additional individuals were wounded across the province, according to Pasechnik, who heads the occupied Luhansk region.

In Russia, Ukrainian drone strikes caused injuries to at least four individuals on the same day in the border regions of K