Reuters

A Russian drone has hit the headquarters of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) during a strike in the heart of Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

The unmanned aerial vehicle crashed into the SBU headquarters on Friday afternoon, targeting a room used by security chief Oleksandr Poklad.

It is not clear whether Poklad was in the building, but Zelensky said he had since spoken to him to order an "appropriate, tangible response".

"The drone was aimed directly at the office of the Head of the Security Service in that building," Zelensky confirmed. It suggests Russia's new drones are growing in accuracy and signals Moscow could step up strikes before possible US mediation talks this weekend.

"All emergency services are on the scene. Everyone affected will receive the necessary assistance," Zelensky added in a message on Telegram.

"I instructed Poklad to deliver an appropriate, tangible response and, where possible, one that mirrors this strike, to the Russians once everything is ready. Our military will support this response."

Images of the office widely shared online showed black smoke pouring from two windows on the front of the building.

Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the attack was a "major escalation that demands resolute responses".

"Moscow launched this strike during a renewed push for peace - laying bare its true rejection of diplomacy," he added.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said five people had been hurt in the SBU attack, but did not elaborate on whether they were inside the offices.

A nearby café was damaged and one customer was taken to hospital after the strike.

Stanislav Zavertaylo, co-owner of the popular Zavertailo chain, told the BBC that this was his third café to have been damaged since the start of the full-scale invasion.

"Now I'm in shock because there's a lot of damage. All the windows are broken, there's a lot of glass, garbage" he added.

The Russian defence ministry also said on Friday it had struck a cargo vessel in the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk and a tanker near Odesa.

In recent weeks Russia has escalated its daytime strikes on Ukrainian targets.

In many instances it has employed jet-powered drones which are faster and harder to intercept. It is not yet known which type of munition was used in this latest attack.

Reuters

The strike on the SBU building is a rare example of Russia successfully hitting a government building.

The SBU - which is just over the road from the St Sophia cathedral, the oldest building in Kyiv - is a key part of Ukraine's war efforts as it conducts deep strikes to damage Russian infrastructure.

The drone came during yet another air raid alert. There was a brief whine before an explosion echoed across the roof tops and smoke rose into the sky.

Despite the ongoing exchanges, US mediators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Russia and Ukraine this weekend, reports say, as efforts to end the war continue.

The envoys will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday in Moscow, and then will hold talks with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday in Kyiv, Axios said, citing US officials.

Witkoff and Kushner have led US President Donald Trump's efforts to broker a peace deal, without a breakthrough so far.

 

SOURCE/AUTHOR : BBC NEWS/Dan Sales and James Landale, Diplomatic correspondent