Russian forces strike the headquarters of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) in central Kyiv with a drone, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says. The attack on Friday afternoon sends plumes of black smoke into the air in the city center and injures people, according to reports.
Ukrainian officials describe the incident as a major escalation and say Zelensky has ordered an “appropriate” or “tangible” response. Several outlets note the strike targets the SBU’s leadership area, including the office associated with the agency’s head, Oleksandr Poklad. France 24 reports the drone is aimed directly at the SBU headquarters, while other coverage emphasizes the daytime nature of the attack.
Outlets also frame the event in the broader context of intensified Russian air attacks on Kyiv and recent overnight strikes across Ukraine, including Odesa. One outlet describes it as a rare direct hit on a key government building and highlights that the SBU site has not previously been hit in roughly four and a half years of the conflict, underscoring the significance attributed by Ukrainian sources.
