On 4 September, a Russian drone struck the SBU’s main building in Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the SBU stated that the target was the office of the acting head of the Service, Oleksandr Poklad. The official was unharmed, and there are plans to repair the damaged building.
Briefly about the main points
- The drone’s target was the office of Oleksandr Poklad, the acting head of the SBU.
- The deposit was not damaged, and there are plans to restore the damaged building.
- In his evening address, the president reported that 12 people had been injured in Kyiv.
- A shockwave damaged the «Bakery» on the grounds of «St Sophia’s Cathedral in Kyiv».
- Since 2022, the SBU has uncovered 150 Russian intelligence networks.
The consequences of the attack and an assessment of its objective
In an evening address on 4 September Zelensky reported that 12 people had been injured in Kyiv. The blast wave also damaged The 18th-century Consistory House, known as the «Bread House», within the grounds of the «Saint Sophia of Kyiv» Nature Reserve: some of the windows were blown out and the glass vestibules were destroyed. No staff at the reserve were injured.
Political scientist Alexey Kurpas described the attack as a test of effectiveness SBU and its counter-intelligence services. In his view, the Russian authorities understand who is exposing their agents, dismantling FSB networks, foiling sabotage operations and carrying out special operations. This is Kurpas’s political assessment, not an established motive on Russia’s part.
What counter-intelligence findings does the SBU cite?
Since 2022, the SBU has uncovered 150 enemy spy networks, comprising 648 individuals. Since the start of 2026, the Service has uncovered a further 20 such networks and 81 of their members. These figures reflect the overall scale of the SBU’s counter-intelligence work.
