Kyiv’s National Academy of Sciences takes a hard hit from a drone strike

The historic building that has housed Ukraine’s top scientists for decades was struck by a Russian drone, sending racks of books and research equipment into the air and setting the structure ablaze. Early reports say one person was killed and three others were injured in the blaze.

Footage that surfaced online shows people bracing themselves and then leaping out of windows to escape the angry flames and thick black smoke. Firefighters rushed to the scene, pulling people through broken skylights and using hoses to douse the blaze. The fierce inferno produced a plume that streaked across the Kyiv skyline.

BBC diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams was on the ground when emergency services attempted to contain the fire. He described the scene as “tremendous” and warned that drone strikes on civilian buildings could become more frequent as the war drags on.

What’s next?

Ukraine’s government has called for stronger diplomatic pressure on Russia to stop drone attacks, while Kyiv’s mayor Vitaliy Klitschko urged international aid for rebuilding the damaged site. The incident also reignited debate over the protection of cultural and scientific heritage in war zones.