A Ukrainian drone strike has hit the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) headquarters in Kyiv, with President Volodymyr Zelensky confirming that a room used by security chief Oleksandr Poklad was targeted. Five people were reportedly injured and a nearby café was damaged, with one customer taken to hospital. The attack is seen as a "major escalation" by Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, who warned of the need for resolute responses. Russian forces have also claimed strikes on a cargo vessel in Chornomorsk and a tanker near Odesa, using jet-powered drones that are faster and harder to intercept than previous models.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A Russian drone attacked the headquarters of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) in Kyiv, wounding at least 12 people, according to the city's mayor. The attack marks a significant escalation in Russia's campaign of air strikes against Ukraine, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed to retaliate. The SBU is a powerful organization responsible for domestic security and related matters, including investigating war crimes and conducting counterintelligence operations. This is the first time a Russian drone has targeted a high-profile government building in Kyiv during the war, which began over four years ago.
Written for “Russian Attack on Ukrainian Security …” on 2026-09-05,
grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but every quote it verified points left, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 3771: score contradicts its own evidence · logged 2026-09-04
- Published
A Russian drone has hit the headquarters of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) during a strike in the heart of Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
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Zelensky → publish → Kyiv
The unmanned aerial vehicle crashed into the SBU headquarters on Friday afternoon, targeting a room used by security chief Oleksandr Poklad.
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vehicle → crash → Poklad
It is not clear whether Poklad was in the building, but Zelensky said he had since spoken to him to order an "appropriate, tangible response".
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he → say → response
"The drone was aimed directly at the office of the Head of the Security Service in that building," Zelensky confirmed.
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Zelensky → aim → building
It suggests Russia's new drones are growing in accuracy and signals Moscow could step up strikes before possible US mediation talks this weekend.
uncertain
Moscow → suggest → talks
Everyone affected will receive the necessary assistance," Zelensky added in a message on Telegram.
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Zelensky → affect → Telegram
"I instructed Poklad to deliver an appropriate, tangible response and, where possible, one that mirrors this strike, to the Russians once everything is ready.
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everything → instruct → Russians
Our military will support this response."
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military → support → response
Images of the office widely shared online showed black smoke pouring from two windows on the front of the building.
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smoke → share → building
Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the attack was a "major escalation that demands resolute responses".
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that → say → responses
"Moscow launched this strike during a renewed push for peace - laying bare its true rejection of diplomacy," he added.
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he → launch → diplomacy
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said five people had been hurt in the SBU attack, but did not elaborate on whether they were inside the offices.
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they → say → offices
A nearby café was damaged and one customer was taken to hospital after the strike.
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customer → damage → strike
Stanislav Zavertaylo, co-owner of the popular Zavertailo chain, told the BBC that this was his third café to have been damaged since the start of the full-scale invasion.
"Now I'm in shock because there's a lot of damage.
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I → tell → damage
All the windows are broken, there's a lot of glass, garbage" he added.
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he → break → glass
The Russian defence ministry also said on Friday it had struck a cargo vessel in the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk and a tanker near Odesa.
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it → say → Odesa
In recent weeks Russia has escalated its daytime strikes on Ukrainian targets.
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Russia → escalate → targets
In many instances it has employed jet-powered drones which are faster and harder to intercept.
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which → employ → drones
It is not yet known which type of munition was used in this latest attack.
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type → know → attack
The strike on the SBU building is a rare example of Russia successfully hitting a government building.
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Russia → hit → building
The SBU - which is just over the road from the St Sophia cathedral, the oldest building in Kyiv - is a key part of Ukraine's war efforts as it conducts deep strikes to damage Russian infrastructure.
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it → conduct → infrastructure
The drone came during yet another air raid alert.
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drone → come → alert
There was a brief whine before an explosion echoed across the roof tops and smoke rose into the sky.
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smoke → be → sky
Despite the ongoing exchanges, US mediators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Russia and Ukraine this weekend, reports say, as efforts to end the war continue.
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efforts → visit → war
The envoys will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday in Moscow, and then will hold talks with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday in Kyiv, Axios said, citing US officials.
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Axios → meet → officials
Witkoff and Kushner have led US President Donald Trump's efforts to broker a peace deal, without a breakthrough so far.
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Witkoff → lead → breakthrough
