At least two individuals were killed when a Russian drone struck the National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv early Tuesday, intensifying fears over Russia’s expanding targeting of Ukrainian civilian and institutional infrastructure. The attack occurred just hours after explosions were reported across the capital, with Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirming that missile debris damaged one building and another caught fire.
Emergency officials stated that one victim’s body was recovered from the rubble later on Monday. Video footage circulating online appeared to capture a high-speed drone impacting the academy building at a steep angle, triggering a large explosion and visible flames. Volodymyr Horbulin, a former secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, told Suspilne that he was at the facility during the strike; his assistant was killed, and Horbulin sustained minor injuries.
The academy is located near significant diplomatic and cultural landmarks, including the German Embassy, a cathedral, the national opera house, and various government buildings. In a statement condemning the assault, the academy labeled the incident an act of “Russian terror” and “barbarity” directed at peaceful workers.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Moscow of cynicism for attacking a scientific institution during working hours. “Russia is deliberately expanding the boundaries of what it believes the world will tolerate,” Sybiha said, urging international allies to supply additional air defense systems.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that the overall drone campaign across Ukraine on Monday resulted in at least nine deaths and more than 80 wounded, including a strike on a medical facility in Kyiv. He highlighted the growing challenge posed by faster, high-altitude jet-powered drones, noting that 90 of the 120 drones launched that day were jet-propelled.
Zelenskyy stated that the interception rate for this specific type of drone currently stands at 57 percent. He confirmed that new interceptors are undergoing active testing, with some combat groups already deploying them, though he acknowledged that details still require refinement to achieve effective scale.
The Russian offensive has broadened its scope beyond military targets. In Dnipro, a drone attack on a business center killed three people and injured 19, while another fatality was reported in a logistics office nearby in Synelnykove. In Zaporizhzhia, emergency services reported 32 wounded following strikes on infrastructure.
Al Jazeera correspondent Jonah Hull, reporting from Kyiv, described a sustained six-day campaign of rolling strikes targeting both day and night. He noted a shift toward attacking economic and digital infrastructure, including data centers and communications networks. Major cellular providers, Kyiv Star and Vodafone Ukraine, were hit on Sunday.
Hull warned that Kyiv is now firmly in the crosshairs of the war, with the government preparing for potential total communication blackouts if infrastructure failures worsen. In response, Ukraine has increased its own attacks against Russian oil refineries and defense plants in the Krasnodar region, aiming to undermine revenue streams supporting Moscow’s military efforts. Both sides continue to deny intentionally targeting civilians.
The shift toward economic infrastructure like refineries suggests this war is evolving. Interesting to see how Russia responds to those counter-strikes.
I find it hard to believe both sides deny targeting civilians when the footage clearly shows residential and institutional areas being hit directly.
It is shocking that the campaign has expanded to target data centers and communications. We need to understand how this impacts daily civilian life.
I’m curious about the 57 percent interception rate for these jet-powered drones. What specific technology gaps does Ukraine needfilled?
How can a strike on a science academy be considered acceptable? This is absolutely barbaric and needs global condemnation.