A Russian drone hit the headquarters of Ukraine's SBU security service in Kyiv on Friday, one of the most high-profile targets struck during the war as Russia intensified its campaign of air strikes against Ukraine.
Ukraine said the attack was a major escalation of the war and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed to retaliate, as Moscow's air strikes on the Ukrainian capital extended into a 10th day.
Heavy black smoke rose in Kyiv's historic city centre following the attack, which the city's mayor said had wounded at least 12 people.
During more than four-and-a-half years of war with Russia, Ukrainian government buildings have rarely been damaged in drone and missile strikes.
"The drone was aimed directly at the office of the Head of the Security Service in that building," Zelenskiy said on the Telegram app.
He said that he ordered "an appropriate, tangible response and, where possible, one that mirrors this strike."
"(SBU) Head Oleksandr Poklad reported on preparations for our active response to the Russian strikes," Zelenskiy said, posting a picture of their meeting in his office in Kyiv.
"The geography of our response has been determined."
The SBU is vital to Ukraine's war efforts as it carries out high-impact, deep strikes inside Russia designed to damage Moscow's war machine and its energy infrastructure.
The vast security agency was responsible for ambitious operations against Russia, such as the 2022 bombing of a Russian bridge to occupied Crimea and a 2025 drone attack, codenamed Spiderweb, that struck Russian strategic bombers.
It is also seen as a leading player in a campaign of covert assassinations of senior Russian military and other figures blamed by Ukraine for carrying out war crimes. Russia has denounced those killings as terrorist attacks.
IMPACT ON DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS
The strike on the SBU came as U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were expected to visit Moscow and Kyiv over the coming two days.
Diplomatic efforts to end the war have been stalled for months as fighting rages on along more than 1,200 km (745 miles) of the frontline and Ukrainian cities are constantly bombarded. Kyiv is also intensifying its strikes inside Russia, aiming to reduce its economic ability to continue with the war.
Zelenskiy said the two U.S. envoys would visit Kyiv on Sunday. He called on Russia to halt its airstrikes on Ukraine during the visit and said Kyiv would guarantee the safety of the Russian airspace for their trip to Moscow.
"The Russian attack on Ukraine’s Security Service Headquarters is a major escalation that demands resolute responses," said Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
"Moscow launched this strike during a renewed push for peace — laying bare its true rejection of diplomacy," he said.
-Reuters
Ukraine said the attack was a major escalation of the war and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed to retaliate, as Moscow's air strikes on the Ukrainian capital extended into a 10th day.
Heavy black smoke rose in Kyiv's historic city centre following the attack, which the city's mayor said had wounded at least 12 people.
During more than four-and-a-half years of war with Russia, Ukrainian government buildings have rarely been damaged in drone and missile strikes.
"The drone was aimed directly at the office of the Head of the Security Service in that building," Zelenskiy said on the Telegram app.
He said that he ordered "an appropriate, tangible response and, where possible, one that mirrors this strike."
"(SBU) Head Oleksandr Poklad reported on preparations for our active response to the Russian strikes," Zelenskiy said, posting a picture of their meeting in his office in Kyiv.
"The geography of our response has been determined."
The SBU is vital to Ukraine's war efforts as it carries out high-impact, deep strikes inside Russia designed to damage Moscow's war machine and its energy infrastructure.
The vast security agency was responsible for ambitious operations against Russia, such as the 2022 bombing of a Russian bridge to occupied Crimea and a 2025 drone attack, codenamed Spiderweb, that struck Russian strategic bombers.
It is also seen as a leading player in a campaign of covert assassinations of senior Russian military and other figures blamed by Ukraine for carrying out war crimes. Russia has denounced those killings as terrorist attacks.
IMPACT ON DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS
The strike on the SBU came as U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were expected to visit Moscow and Kyiv over the coming two days.
Diplomatic efforts to end the war have been stalled for months as fighting rages on along more than 1,200 km (745 miles) of the frontline and Ukrainian cities are constantly bombarded. Kyiv is also intensifying its strikes inside Russia, aiming to reduce its economic ability to continue with the war.
Zelenskiy said the two U.S. envoys would visit Kyiv on Sunday. He called on Russia to halt its airstrikes on Ukraine during the visit and said Kyiv would guarantee the safety of the Russian airspace for their trip to Moscow.
"The Russian attack on Ukraine’s Security Service Headquarters is a major escalation that demands resolute responses," said Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
"Moscow launched this strike during a renewed push for peace — laying bare its true rejection of diplomacy," he said.
-Reuters
