Video: Russian drone strike hits National Academy of Sciences building in Kyiv — Zelenskyy
Abdullateef Fowewe
A Russian drone struck the building of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in central Kyiv on Monday, sparking a major fire and prompting an ongoing rescue operation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy described the attack and wider strikes across the country, “A Russian strike against the building of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. A rescue operation is underway: crews are putting out the fire and searching for people who may have been trapped inside. All services are deployed.”
He added that the same day saw attacks on a pharmaceutical company and gas stations in Kyiv, a business center in Dnipro, and civilian facilities, businesses, and communications infrastructure in other cities and regions.
“Sadly, people have been killed… My condolences to their families and loved ones,” Zelenskyy wrote.
Video circulating with the president’s statement shows the historic academy building ablaze, with intense flames, thick smoke, rubble, and damaged vehicles in the courtyard as emergency crews respond.
Zelenskyy said Russia “will definitely face a response to this” and urged Ukraine’s partners to recognize the strikes as terror.
“Supporting Ukraine means truly supporting people’s lives – supporting the principle that terror must never be normalized, anywhere. Russia must be held accountable for all of this and face real consequences.
“I thank everyone who helps Ukraine!” he noted.
Ukrainian officials reported casualties from the academy strike and other attacks on Monday, with emergency services continuing search and firefighting efforts at the site in Kyiv’s Shevchenkivskyi district.
The incident forms part of a broader wave of Russian drone and missile strikes targeting Ukrainian cities.
