Ukraine president says state defense firm stored weapons illegally near civilian area in Vyshneve

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 11 that top officials of Ukroboronprom, Ukraine’s state-owned defence conglomerate, broke the law by allowing an ammunition depot to operate in the Kyiv suburb of Vyshneve. The depot was hit by Russian missiles on July 6, causing secondary explosions that killed seven people and injured 29 others.

Zelensky noted that Ukrainian regulations designate specific locations for storing weapons and ammunition, all of which must be situated away from residential buildings. He added that the State Security Service (SBU) has identified the heads of two state-owned enterprises within Ukroboronprom, along with their deputies and other officials, as responsible for the violation and that they are under investigation.

"The specific officials involved are known, and the state's position is that each of them must be held fairly accountable," Zelensky said, though he did not disclose their names.

The president called for a broader government response, urging the SBU and other law-enforcement agencies to inspect similar enterprises and for enterprise leaders to ensure compliance to prevent future incidents. He also said that Ukroboronprom’s large organisational structure presents challenges that need to be addressed, including strengthening internal oversight of its dozens of enterprises.

The July 6 attack on Vyshneve was part of a larger Russian bombardment of Kyiv that killed 19 people and injured 90. Following the strike, around 300 rescue workers from the State Emergency Service continued round-the-clock operations to assist residents. Mykola Kalashnyk, head of the Kyiv Oblast regional administration, said the recovery effort must also focus on restoring homes, streets and a sense of security for the community.