A Russian drone struck the central headquarters of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) in Kyiv, damaging the building’s roof and exterior wall while injuring at least twelve people, according to city officials and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Attack on SBU Headquarters in Kyiv
The drone impact occurred on Volodymyrska Street, directly targeting the office of SBU chief Oleksandr Poklad, according to a statement published by President Zelenskyy on social media. Poklad was not injured in the strike, which caused a fire and sent black smoke billowing from the windows of the second-floor side wing. Debris from the blast also shattered windows in an 18th-century administrative building belonging to the nearby Sophienkathedrale complex, a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, as reported by the museum administration.
Kyiv has faced continuous drone attacks for ten days, straining the capital’s air defense capabilities. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrij Sybiha described the strike on the intelligence headquarters as a “significant escalation” during a fresh push for peace talks mediated by the United States. Sybiha called on international partners to increase pressure on Moscow and urged UNESCO to enhance protections for endangered cultural heritage sites in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Response and Diplomatic Context
In response to the attack, President Zelenskyy instructed SBU chief Poklad to prepare a retaliatory strike. According to statements released after their consultation, a geographical framework for the response has been established, with the timing selected to ensure operational results. The SBU released a statement on Telegram vowing a painful response involving increased covert operations and the exposure of agent networks.
The strike coincided with preparations for high-level diplomatic visits. US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to travel to Moscow and Kyiv over the weekend. President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine would guarantee security in the Russian airspace during the visit to the Russian capital, provided Russia halts its aerial bombardment of Ukraine during the envoys’ mission.
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