Russian Drone Targets SBU Headquarters in Kyiv; Zelenskiy Promises Retaliation
Details of the Attack and Its Aftermath
By Max Hunder
Drone Strike on SBU Headquarters
KYIV, Sept 4 (Reuters) - A Russian drone hit the headquarters of Ukraine's SBU security service in Kyiv on Friday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, vowing to retaliate as Moscow kept up its constant air attacks on the capital for the 10th day.
Heavy black smoke rose in Kyiv city centre following the attack, which signaled a new escalation in the conflict. At least seven people were injured, Kyiv's mayor said.
Significance of the SBU in the Conflict
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 SBU is vital to Ukraine's war efforts as it executes high-impact, deep strikes to damage Russia's war machine and its energy infrastructure.
Immediate Response and Injuries
"The drone was aimed directly at the office of the Head of the Security Service in that building," Zelenskiy said on the Telegram app. It was not immediately clear if SBU members were among the injured.
Zelenskiy said that he ordered "an appropriate, tangible response and, where possible, one that mirrors this strike, to the Russians once everything was ready."
Impact on the Local Area
Numerous ambulances and emergency services were heading to the scene in the historic part of the city close to the Saint Sophia Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The owner of a popular bakery, Zavertailo, said on the Telegram app that their building located opposite the SBU building was also destroyed in the attack.
One woman shouted into her phone that she had popped out to buy cigarettes and been startled by the explosion.
Ongoing Attacks on Kyiv
Ukraine's capital has been under continuous Russian drone attack for 10 days. On Wednesday, a university in the city centre was also hit.
"I think (people) can get used to this. In the centre of Kyiv, and in the centre of Moscow. It will get worse, I believe this," said Oleh, 33, who declined to give his last name.
The Role of the SBU in Ukraine's Defense
The SBU is a vast and secretive agency 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.
Covert Operations and Russian Response
It is also widely 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.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa, Max Hunder and Olena Harmash in Kyiv; Additional reporting by Tom Balmforth in LondonEditing by Daniel Flynn, Alison Williams and Sharon Singleton)
