Russia deploys jet-powered drones in fresh wave of strikes, hits Ukraine’s science academy in Kyiv
Kyiv academy hit as Ukraine reports surge in Russian jet-powered drone attacks (Video credit: X/MFAUkraine) Russia deploys jet-powered drones in fresh wave of strikes, hits Ukraine’s science academy in Kyiv Kyiv academy hit as Ukraine reports surge in Russian jet-powered drone attacks (Video credit: X/MFAUkraine) Russia deploys jet-powered drones in fresh wave of strikes, hits Ukraine’s science academy in Kyiv A Russian jet-powered drone struck Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv, prompting a rescue operation, Ukraine’s foreign ministry said. The incident came amid a wider wave of Russian attacks across Ukraine that killed three people and injured at least nine in Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials. Videos circulating on social media appeared to show people jumping from the building’s windows as they tried to escape the strike. The extent of the damage to the academy building and the number of people affected were not immediately clear.
Zelenskyy said Russia had deployed 277 attack drones of various types since Saturday, including 155 jet-powered drones. Earlier models, including the propeller-driven Geran-1 and Geran-2, were slower and could be easier for air defences to intercept. A report published by The Conversation said Russia had introduced successive jet-powered variants, including the Geran-3 in 2025 and the Geran-4 later that year. The Geran-5 was first used operationally in August 2026, according to the report. The Geran-5 has a reported top speed of about 600 kilometres per hour, a range of up to 1,000 kilometres and an operating altitude of around 6,000 metres. Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Colonel Yuriy Ihnat told the Financial Times on September 14 that Ukraine was intercepting about 60% of attacks by the Geran-5, compared with a 95% interception rate against other drone variants. It cited Ukrainian military intelligence findings that components identified in the Geran-5 included a Chinese-supplied jet engine, US-made digital processors and German-manufactured transistors. The report said Russia was prioritising production of the Geran-4 and Geran-5 ahead of an autumn and winter campaign.
No casualties were reported in those incidents. Its speed, altitude and reported anti-jamming capabilities make it more difficult to intercept than earlier models, the report said.
The foreign ministry said the academy, one of Ukraine’s central scientific research institutions, had been hit in the heart of Kyiv. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said six of the injured were being treated in hospital. In the northern city of Sumy, three glide bombs struck near a family support centre, killing two people, regional governor Oleh Hryhorov said. In Kharkiv, a drone hit a car, killing the driver, prosecutors said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks, describing strikes on civilian targets as “terrorism”. “Russia has no military objective whatsoever in doing this,” Zelenskiy wrote in a post on X. He also said targets in Kyiv included a building used as a residence by the Saudi Arabian ambassador. Ukraine’s largest mobile service provider told Interfax Ukraine that Russian forces had struck its headquarters amid continued attacks on the country’s data centres and communications infrastructure. There were no casualties, the company said. Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had struck two data centres, according to Reuters. The Conversation report also said Ukraine had been relying more heavily on fighter jets to shoot down the new drones.
It called on UNESCO to support the country’s scientific community and strip Russia of its voice and voting rights within the organisation. “The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine is one of our country’s central institutions of scientific research, bringing together generations of Ukrainian researchers. A rescue operation is ongoing. Russia continues to strike civilian sites across Ukraine, damaging essential infrastructure. Every Russian strike must receive a strong response and increased pressure on the aggressor. We call on @UNESCO to stand with Ukraine’s scientific community and strip Russia of its voice and voting rights within the organisation. A drone struck a high-rise apartment building in an eastern suburb, triggering a fire that was later extinguished by emergency crews. Drones also hit areas near a kindergarten and a playground in two districts, while debris from another drone caused a fire elsewhere in the city. “It is purely an attempt to break people and inflict as much harm as possible on our society. The ministry did not provide further details in the material available. Russia’s use of jet-powered drones marks a further development in its long-range aerial attacks on Ukraine. Ukraine, meanwhile, has raised concerns over the availability of air defence missiles capable of intercepting the newer drones. The strike on Kyiv’s National Academy of Sciences comes amid a broader pattern of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. The circumstances of the strike and the extent of damage to the academy building remain unclear. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.
Today, its building in the heart of Kyiv was hit by a Russian strike. Russian attacks killed three people in two Ukrainian cities on Sunday, while strikes on Kyiv injured nine people, including a child, local officials said.