Russian Drone Strikes SBU Headquarters in Kyiv for First Time in the War, Zelensky Vows Retaliation

A Russian drone struck the central headquarters of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) on Volodymyrska Street in Kyiv's Shevchenkivskyi district, directly opposite St. Sophia's Cathedral, at around 3:30 p.m. local time on September 4 — the first known direct hit on the SBU's central building since the full-scale invasion began. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the drone was aimed specifically at the office of acting SBU chief Oleksandr Poklad, who was not present at the time. At least 12 people were injured, seven hospitalized. The building's exterior wall was damaged along with windows in nearby historic structures; St. Sophia's Cathedral itself was undamaged. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called the strike 'a major escalation that demands resolute responses,' saying it showed Moscow's rejection of diplomacy during a renewed push for peace talks. By evening, Zelensky said Ukraine had chosen where it would strike back in retaliation, with only timing left open 'for maximum effect.'