A Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) in central Kyiv on Friday afternoon, targeting the office of acting head Oleksandr Poklad [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The attack caused heavy black smoke and a fire at the building on Volodymyrska Street opposite St. Sophia Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site [1, 7, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
The strike injured at least five people, including one customer in the nearby Zavertailo cafe, which suffered broken windows from the blast. Some reports put the number of injured as high as nine, with seven hospitalized [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Cafe owner Stanislav Zavertailo said, "One of my customers was injured in the strike, which sent shockwaves through my premises, shattering all the windows" [3]. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed a fire in the city's Shevchenkivskyi district caused by the drone crash and reported injuries but did not specify if they were inside the SBU offices [1, 3, 5, 6].
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, "The drone was aimed directly at the office of the Head of the Security Service in that building. I instructed Poklad to deliver an appropriate, tangible response and, where possible, one that mirrors this strike, to the Russians once everything is ready" [1]. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the attack "a major escalation that demands resolute responses" and said Moscow "laid bare its true rejection of diplomacy" amid renewed talks [4].
The Russian Defense Ministry also reported strikes on a cargo vessel in the port of Chornomorsk and a tanker near Odesa on the same day [1]. Kyiv has faced ongoing Russian drone and missile attacks for over a week, including recent strikes using faster jet-powered drones [1, 3, 4].
The Ukrainian leadership is preparing its response to the SBU headquarters strike under Zelenskyy’s orders, supported by the military [1, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The situation remains tense as Kyiv continues to defend against persistent aerial attacks.
