Fire at National Academy of Sciences building extinguished, debris removal underway – photos

What Happened

On the afternoon of 28 September, a Russian drone struck the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Kyiv's Shevchenkivskyi district, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. Firefighters extinguished the resulting fire on the evening of 28 September. The State Emergency Service reported that one person was killed and six injured in the attack, and two people were rescued from the second floor of the building using a three-section ladder. The agency also said engineering equipment is operating at the scene and workers are dismantling damaged structures. Separately, rescue operations at a damaged medical centre building in Kyiv's Holosiivskyi district were completed; eight people were injured there and one person was rescued. Nataliia Bukalo, an assistant to Volodymyr Horbulin, former secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, was identified as killed in the strike on the academy.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The strike on the National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv continues the pattern of Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian civilian and symbolic institutions. The death of Nataliia Bukalo, an aide to a former NSDC secretary, underscores the human cost and the potential targeting of individuals linked to Ukraine's security establishment. The simultaneous damage to a medical centre in Holosiivskyi district, with eight injured, highlights the breadth of damage across the capital and the strain on emergency services.

Watch For

Debris removal and structure dismantling at the academy building continue; officials may provide updated casualty figures or identify further victims. Ukrainian authorities are likely to release details on air defence interceptions and the number of drones involved in the 28 September attack. The Russian Ministry of Defence may comment on the strikes, though it typically does not acknowledge attacks on civilian areas. Monitoring for any Ukrainian response or international condemnation, as well as completion of rescue operations at both sites.