A Russian drone strike has hit the head office of Ukraine’s SBU intelligence agency in central Kyiv, sending plumes of black smoke into the air. The attack, which occurred in broad daylight, prompted President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to instruct the SBU to deliver an “appropriate, tangible response”. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the strike as a “major escalation”.
Strike near St Sophia Cathedral
The streets around the SBU headquarters were cordoned off shortly after the attack, with armed officers patrolling the area. Numerous ambulances and emergency services vehicles were stationed around the site, which is close to the St Sophia Cathedral, a Unesco world heritage site.
“Unfortunately, a Russian drone hit the central building of the SBU on Volodymyrska Street in Kyiv, opposite the St Sophia Cathedral,” Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram. “The drone was aimed directly at the office of the Head of the Security Service in that building.”
Ongoing Russian attacks
Kyiv has been under a barrage of daily drone and missile attacks from Russia for over a week. The country is facing a critical shortage of US-made Patriot interceptors which can shoot down incoming threats. Many of the recent Russian strikes have been by new-model jet-powered drones which can reach speeds of 250mph, making them hard to intercept.
It is rare for government buildings in central Kyiv to be reached by Russian strikes, especially in broad daylight. The explosion from the hit on the SBU building could be heard from several blocks away.
