Russian drone strikes Ukraine intelligence headquarters in Kyiv
A Russian drone hit Ukraine’s SBU intelligence headquarters in central Kyiv on September 4, injuring at least nine people and prompting Ukrainian officials to call the strike a major escalation.
In short
- A Russian drone hit Ukraine’s SBU intelligence headquarters in central Kyiv on September 4, injuring at least nine people and prompting Ukrainian officials to call the strike a major escalation.
A Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service in central Kyiv on September 4, 2026, injuring at least nine people, according to Ukrainian officials.
The building on Volodymyrska Street stands opposite St Sophia Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Emergency vehicles converged on the area and authorities restricted access after the attack, which sent smoke above the city centre and damaged windows at nearby businesses.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the drone had targeted the office of the head of the security service. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported the injury toll. Russia had not provided a public account of the specific strike in the source material reviewed by AddisMizan.
The attack followed more than a week of sustained Russian drone and missile strikes on Kyiv. Ukrainian officials say newer jet-powered drones, capable of higher speeds than earlier models, have become harder to intercept as the country faces shortages of U.S.-made Patriot air-defence interceptors.
The hit on a major government building in central Kyiv is unusual and comes amid stalled diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s invasion. U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were expected to visit Kyiv on September 6, while Ukraine called for attacks to pause during renewed contacts.
