Full story
Drone hits SBU HQ
A Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) in central Kyiv on Friday, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying it targeted the office of the agency’s chief, Oleksandr Poklad, opposite the St. Sophia Cathedral.
“Unfortunately, a Russian drone hit the central building of the SBU on Volodymyrska Street in Kyiv, opposite the St. Sophia Cathedral”
Zelenskyy said on Telegram, “Unfortunately, a Russian drone hit the central building of the SBU on Volodymyrska Street in Kyiv, opposite the St. Sophia Cathedral,” after speaking with Poklad.
The attack triggered emergency response in the historic part of the city near the UNESCO World Heritage site, and Reuters reported that “At least seven people were injured, Kyiv's mayor said.”
CNN said the daytime strike was the first time the SBU building had been hit in the four-and-a-half year conflict, and it described heavy black smoke rising in Kyiv city centre after the impact.
Retaliation and rival counts
Zelenskyy said he ordered a “mirrored” retaliatory strike after the drone hit the SBU headquarters, telling Poklad to respond “adequately, tangibly and, if possible, in a mirrored way to the Russians for this strike, when everything is prepared.”
The United24 Media account also said Kyiv mayor Vitaliy Klitschko initially reported five injured in the Shevchenkivskyi District, while Kyiv Post later said seven people had been injured with six hospitalized.
In a separate report, RTE.ie said the drone strike left “Atleast seven people were injured, Kyiv's mayor said,” and it quoted Zelenskyy on Telegram that “The drone was aimed directly at the office of the Head of the Security Service in that building.”
The Kyiv Independent described the attack as injuring at least nine people, adding that seven had been hospitalized as of 5 p.m. local time, and it quoted Zelenskyy saying he gave Poklad the task of responding “in an appropriate, significant, and — if possible — symmetrical manner once everything is ready.”
Escalation, diplomacy, and wider risks
Reuters said Zelenskyy vowed to retaliate as Moscow kept up “its constant air attacks on the capital for the 10th day,” and it framed the strike as a new escalation near the Saint Sophia Cathedral.
“its constant air attacks on the capital for the 10th day”
CNN reported that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the attack “demanded resolute response,” and it linked the incident to a broader diplomatic push by noting that US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were planning to visit Moscow and Kyiv in the coming days.
The Türkiye Today report added that Zelenskyy said Ukraine hopes to meet U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoys in Kyiv “in the coming days,” while also saying preliminary dates were set for a visit by U.S. envoys to Kyiv and meetings expected in Moscow.
Beyond the SBU site, RTE.ie reported that the World Health Organization said one of its main warehouses in Ukraine was affected by an overnight air attack, with WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier telling reporters in Geneva that “Access to the site remains restricted due to heavy smoke and safety concerns.”