Scientists killed in Russian drone strike on Kyiv academy building

In the Shevchenkivskyi district of Kyiv, at least two scientists were killed as a result of a Russian drone strike on the building of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. According to the press service of the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, among the dead were two academicians. The President of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Anatolii Zahorodnii, said that contact had not yet been established with several colleagues.

As of 16:25, the State Emergency Service reported one woman killed and seven people injured as a result of the strike. Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klychko clarified that a woman died in the non-residential building in the centre of the capital, and three people were hospitalised. In total, since the beginning of the day in Kyiv, 19 people have been affected by Russian attacks, including three children.

The enemy drone struck the building of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, after which a large fire broke out. People escaped from the burning building through windows. According to preliminary data, the strike hit a building that also houses the Dobrobut hospital. As a result of the attack, one of the buildings of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine was damaged; there were no casualties among ministry staff.

Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha called on UNESCO to strip Russia of its voting rights and the right to be elected to the organisation's governing and working bodies because of the strike on the National Academy of Sciences building. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the strike on the Academy of Sciences building and stressed that emergency services continue to work at the scene.

Rescuers are extinguishing the fire and searching for people who may have remained inside the building. All necessary services have been involved in the response. The search-and-rescue operation is ongoing.