Russian drone strikes government buildings in Ukraine, following days of near continuous assaults on Kyiv. (Image credit: X)
At least seven people were injured in the attack, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. “The drone was aimed directly at the office of the Head of the Security Service in that building,” Zelenskiy said on the Telegram app. Zelenskiy said he had ordered a response to the strike, including an attack mirroring the Russian assault where possible.
Heavy black smoke rose over the city centre following the strike, while emergency services and ambulances rushed to the scene near the historic Saint Sophia Cathedral. A Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine’s SBU security service in central Kyiv on Friday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, as Russian drone attacks on the capital continued for a 10th consecutive day.
The attack also damaged a building opposite the SBU headquarters, according to the owner of the Zavertailo bakery, who said the premises were destroyed. The strike marks a rare instance of a Ukrainian government building being damaged during more than four-and-a-half years of war with Russia. The SBU plays a key role in Ukraine’s war effort and has carried out high-impact operations targeting Russia’s military and energy infrastructure.