Death Toll From Kyiv-Area Ammunition Depot Strike Rises to 38 as Russia Vows 'Massive' Energy Strikes

The confirmed death toll from the August 28 Russian drone strike on an ammunition storage facility in Myla, Kyiv Oblast, rose to 38 killed by August 30, with 4 people still missing, President Zelensky said — making it one of the deadliest single strikes of 2026. The blast damaged roughly 50 buildings and forced the evacuation of more than 380 residents; among the dead was the mayor of nearby Dmytrivka. The same day, Russia's Defense Ministry announced via Telegram that it had begun preparing 'massive strikes' against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, framing the move as retaliation for Ukraine's continuing deep-strike campaign against Russian civilian and energy facilities. The warning revived fears of a repeat of prior winters, when sustained Russian bombardment of Ukraine's power grid left millions without heat and electricity. Bloomberg reported Moscow is escalating because it views peace negotiations as stalled, with sources citing possible intensified conventional ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv and other cities. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Russia's posture 'tough' but said 'military escalation is simply not necessary for Moscow ... because we're advancing anyway.'