Slovakia condemns Russian drone strike on SBU building in Kyiv near its consular section
Slovakia condemned a Russian drone strike on the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) building in Kyiv on 4 September, located near the consular section of the Slovak embassy. Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said he had instructed that the Russian ambassador to Slovakia be summoned for explanations. The strike injured 15 people and reportedly targeted the office of acting SBU head Oleksandr Poklad, who was not in the building at the time.
Key points
- A Russian drone struck the SBU building in Kyiv on 4 September, injuring 15 people.
- The building is located near the consular section of the Slovak embassy in Kyiv.
- Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said the consular section was unstaffed at the time of the strike.
- Slovakia summoned the Russian ambassador to Slovakia for explanations over the attack.
- President Volodymyr Zelensky said the drone was aimed directly at the office of acting SBU head Oleksandr Poklad.
- General Poklad was not in his office at the moment of the strike.
- The strike also damaged the 'Sophia of Kyiv' nature reserve.
Why it matters
The strike hit a building near a third country's consular section, prompting a formal diplomatic protest from Slovakia — an EU and NATO member — including the summoning of Russia's ambassador. Reports that the drone targeted the office of Ukraine's acting SBU head point to an apparent attempt to strike a senior Ukrainian security official. The attack injured multiple people and damaged the surrounding 'Sophia of Kyiv' nature reserve.
What happened
On the afternoon of 4 September, a Russian drone struck the building of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Kyiv. According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the drone was aimed directly at the office of acting SBU head Oleksandr Poklad, though he was not present at the time. The strike injured 15 people and damaged the 'Sophia of Kyiv' nature reserve. The SBU building is located near the consular section of the Slovak embassy. Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said the consular section had been operating in a limited mode for security reasons and was unstaffed at the time. Slovakia condemned the attack, summoned the Russian ambassador for explanations, and called on both sides to avoid further escalation. Aviation expert Anatolii Khrapchynskyi suggested the drone may have used in-flight re-guidance to strike precisely, but said final conclusions require examination of the wreckage.
Background
The Slovak consular section in Kyiv had been operating in a limited mode for security reasons and was unstaffed at the time of the strike. Aviation expert Anatolii Khrapchynskyi suggested the drone may have used an in-flight re-guidance mechanism to strike precisely, noting that final conclusions can only be made after examination of the wreckage.