Russian Geran drone strike ignites Kyiv science academy building amid 124‑drone assault
A Russian Geran drone hit a building of Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv, killing and wounding people and forcing some to escape through windows as a fire spread. The attack came during a 124‑drone Russian strike that focused on the Kyiv region and caused confirmed impacts at dozens of sites.
A research building in central Kyiv has been left burning and shattered after Russia’s latest mass drone attack pushed the war deep into Ukraine’s scientific and urban heart.
A Russian Geran drone struck a building of Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv on 28 September, sparking a fire that left several people killed and others wounded, according to Ukrainian reports. Video from the scene shows flames consuming upper floors as people clamber out of windows to escape.
The strike hit a civilian institution in the capital rather than a front‑line position. The Academy of Sciences is a key part of Ukraine’s research system. Damage there brings both immediate casualties and longer‑term disruption for science and education.
Ukraine’s air force and regional authorities say the hit on the Academy took place as part of a much larger Russian drone operation. Between 06:30 and 18:30, Russia launched 124 drones of various types, including 86 jet‑powered systems and other models such as Gerbera and Banderol/Dan‑T. Ukrainian air defenses report 86 drones were downed or suppressed, including 49 of the jet‑powered aircraft, but say impacts were recorded at 26 locations in Kyiv region and that some drones remained in Ukrainian airspace.
Within Kyiv, the National Academy of Sciences wasn’t the only site affected. The Kyiv City Military Administration said a drone hit a non‑residential building in the Obolon district. In the Desnianskyi district, debris from a downed drone fell; initial information indicated no casualties there.
Outside the city limits, local authorities in Kyiv region reported two injured men. One in Bucha district suffered shrapnel wounds to his legs and torso. Another in Boryspil district received a shrapnel wound to his cheek. Officials said private houses, a car, garages and fences were damaged in those areas.
Earlier that day, air‑raid sirens sounded over Kyiv due to the threat from unmanned aircraft. In one case, drone fragments fell in the capital’s Desnianskyi district; early reports said there were no injuries or damage.
The National Academy of Sciences strike underlines how Russia’s drone campaign now reaches far beyond power plants and military depots. Civilian research buildings, ordinary homes and urban infrastructure are exposed to repeated waves of unmanned aircraft that test Ukraine’s air defenses and steadily add to the toll of damaged property and wounded residents.
Signals to watch include any detailed damage assessment from the Academy itself, further information on casualties in Kyiv and surrounding districts, and whether subsequent Russian attacks continue to single out civilian institutions in the capital region.
Sources
- OSINT