Russian drone strike sets Kyiv’s National Academy of Sciences ablaze

Russian forces hit the National Academy of Sciences in Kyiv on Tuesday, igniting a blaze that killed at least two people.

Video shows a fast‑moving drone striking the historic building at a steep angle, exploding and sending bright orange flames into the sky. Witnesses were seen leaning out of windows as the fire spread.

Former National Security and Defence Council secretary Volodymyr Horbulin told state broadcaster Suspilne that he was at work in the academy when the attack occurred; his assistant was killed and he was lightly wounded.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported missile debris falling in a courtyard and a second fire breaking out elsewhere in the city. The strike follows a drone hit on the same academy the previous day.

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, condemned the attack as “Russian terror” and called for more air‑defence support from allies. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said nine people had been killed and more than 80 wounded in drone strikes across Ukraine on Monday, and warned that Kyiv is struggling to counter newer, high‑flying jet‑propelled drones.

Other targets in Kyiv included a pharmaceutical company and petrol stations, while attacks in Dnipro, Synelnykove and Zaporizhzhia caused further civilian casualties.

Analysts say the strikes are part of a six‑day rolling campaign against economic and communications infrastructure, with data centres and major mobile operators such as Kyiv Star and Vodafone Ukraine also hit.

Source: Al Jazeera. Photo: Алесь Усцінаў / Pexels.