A Russian drone struck the headquarters of Ukraine's SBU security service in central Kyiv on Friday afternoon, injuring five people and sending plumes of black smoke into the air. The attack followed a series of deadly overnight strikes across Ukraine, including the southern Odesa region.
This strike marks a shift in the rhythm of Russian attacks in Kyiv, which previously occurred almost exclusively at night but are now taking place during the day. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the event as a major escalation. For a week, near-continuous drone and missile attacks have disrupted the lives of residents in Kyiv and its suburbs with constant air-raid sirens, even as Russian ground forces struggle to advance.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has instructed the SBU to deliver an appropriate and tangible response to the attack, stating that the response should, where possible, mirror the strike.
Amidst these hostilities, President Zelenskyy expressed hope to host envoys from US President Donald Trump in Kyiv in the coming days to resume efforts to end the war. American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are reportedly planning imminent visits to both Kyiv and Moscow.