Russian attack hits Ukraine's security service headquarters
asserted
attack → hit → headquarters
Moscow making more daytime strikes with fast, jet-powered drones
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.
asserted
Russia → make → Ukraine
The drone was "aimed directly at the office of the head of the Security Service in that building," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on X, after speaking with SBU acting head Oleksandr Poklad.
asserted
Zelenskyy → aim → Poklad
Ukraine said the attack was a major escalation of the war and Zelenskyy vowed to retaliate, as Moscow's airstrikes on the Ukrainian capital extended into a tenth day.
asserted
airstrikes → say → 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.
asserted
mayor → rise → 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.
asserted
buildings → damage → strikes
Zelenskyy said that he ordered "an appropriate, tangible response and, where possible, one that mirrors this strike."
Poklad "reported on preparations for our active response to the Russian strikes," Zelenskyy said, posting a picture of their meeting in his office in Kyiv.
asserted
Zelenskyy → say → Kyiv
"The geography of our response has been determined."
asserted
geography → determine → response
Vital for Ukraine
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.
asserted
it → carry → machine
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.
asserted
that → occupy → 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.
asserted
It → see → crimes
Russia has denounced those killings as terrorist attacks.
asserted
Russia → denounce → attacks
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.
asserted
negotiators → come → days
Diplomatic efforts to end the war have been stalled for months as fighting rages on along more than 1,200 kilometres of the front line and Ukrainian cities are constantly bombarded.
asserted
cities → end → line
Kyiv is also intensifying its strikes inside Russia, aiming to reduce its economic ability to continue with the war.
asserted
Kyiv → intensify → war
The last week has been marked by Russia changing its tactics in the war.
asserted
Russia → mark → war
Russia has typically attacked Ukraine at night.
asserted
Russia → attack → night
But now, daytime strikes are becoming more frequent with Russia's use of fast-flying, jet-powered drones.
asserted
strikes → become → drones
Since last week, attacks have come day and night, compounding the terror of overnight strikes with the exhaustion of constant daytime disruption.
asserted
attacks → come → disruption
In Kyiv, the recurring wail of air-raid sirens has become part of daily life, and the relentless alerts are exhausting residents, some of whom are left wondering how long they can stay.
asserted
they → recur → whom
Getting the shopping done has become a nightmare for Volodymyr Bovsunovskyi, who recounts a recent family trip to a mall to buy clothes for his nearly four-year-old daughter.
asserted
who → get → daughter
They had been inside for about 20 minutes when the alert sounded.
asserted
alert → sound → minutes
They rushed out without buying clothes and saw smoke rising nearby.
asserted
smoke → rush → clothes
"A lot has changed in the last seven days," he said.
asserted
he → change → days
Like many residents, he hopes the attacks will relent.
asserted
attacks → hop → residents
For now, Ukraine is struggling to find an effective way to counter them.
asserted
Ukraine → struggle → them
Bovsunovskyi is now considering leaving the city for a while, hoping to give his family — including his pregnant wife — a chance to rest.
asserted
Bovsunovskyi → consider → chance
Ivan Datsiv, an IT worker, was in his apartment in Kyiv's Podil district when a Russian drone tore through the floor on Tuesday, charring the ceilings and walls of his apartment and completely destroying the one next door.
asserted
drone → tear → one
Datsiv tries to joke about it, saying he had been meaning to repaint the walls anyway.
asserted
he → try → walls
The alerts have become so frequent that he no longer sees the point of repeatedly going to a shelter.
asserted
he → become → shelter
At this rate, he said, the only alternative would be to live in the basement.
asserted
alternative → say → basement
"The alarms sound constantly," he said.
asserted
he → sound → ?
"You don't even have time to go down and come back up.
asserted
You → have → time
It's just a waste of time running back and forth."
asserted
It → run → time
He, too, is thinking of leaving Kyiv for "another city — somewhere quiet and without this danger."
asserted
He → think → danger
