Russian drone hits SBU headquarters in central Kiev

A Russian drone hit the central building of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) in Kiev today, and Ukrainian officials described the attack as a major escalation that requires a decisive response.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that a drone hit the SBU building on Volodymyrskaya Street, across from Saint Sophia Cathedral, one of the most famous historical sites in the capital.

"Unfortunately, a Russian drone hit the central building of the Security Service of Ukraine on Volodymyrskaya Street in Kyiv, opposite the Saint Sophia Cathedral," Zelensky said on the X network, after a conversation with acting SBU chief Oleksandr Poklad.

According to him, the drone was aimed directly at the office of the head of the Security Service in that building.

Zelensky said he had ordered "an appropriate, concrete response and, wherever possible, a response that will be identical to this strike, as soon as everything is ready."

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said the attack on the SBU headquarters represented a "major escalation" and required decisive responses.

The mayor of Kiev said earlier that five people were injured in today's Russian attacks. Thick black smoke hung over the center of the Ukrainian capital today.

Numerous ambulances and other emergency services were dispatched to the site of the attack on the UN headquarters, not far from the Hagia Sophia Cathedral, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The attack on the SBU headquarters came at a time when Kiev has been exposed to almost continuous Russian drone attacks for ten days.

On Wednesday, a university in the center of the Ukrainian capital was also hit.

Frequent attacks are increasingly hitting the city center itself, as Kiev residents try to adapt to almost daily air raids and explosions.

"I think people can get used to this. In the center of Kiev, but also in the center of Moscow. I believe it will be even worse," said 33-year-old Oleh, who did not want to give his last name.

The SBU is a large and secretive agency responsible for ambitious operations against Russia, such as the bombing of a Russian bridge to occupied Crimea in 2022 and the drone attack in 2025, codenamed "Spider's Web," which hit Russian strategic bombers.

He is also considered a key figure in a campaign of secret assassinations of senior Russian military officials and others accused by Ukraine of war crimes. Russia has condemned the killings as terrorist attacks.