A Russian strike hit the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine building in central Kyiv on Monday afternoon, killing one person and injuring six others, including three children, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Later reports put the toll higher. Ukrainian outlet LIGA.net reported that two academicians were killed and that contact had been lost with several other people. The conflicting figures had not been reconciled.
Former National Security and Defense Council Secretary Volodymyr Horbulin was among the wounded, according to 112.ua, citing Espreso TV.
Emergency crews were still working at the site of the direct hit and trying to put out the fire, Zelenskyy wrote on X. In the same post, he said Russian forces had also struck a medical facility in the center of the capital that afternoon.
Ukraine calls for pressure on Moscow
Zelenskyy said the casualties could have been prevented if pressure on Russia had become “total.” He called for pressure on everything that finances and produces Russia’s weapons and on everyone who uses them, adding that Ukraine is counting on Europe, America and other partners.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the attack as a daytime strike on a scientific institution full of people in the middle of a working day.
“There is no bottom to Russia’s cynicism “.
Sybiha urged partners to provide more missile interceptors, impose tougher sanctions and increase pressure on those helping Moscow sustain the war. He also called on UNESCO to strip Russia of its voice and voting rights and its eligibility for election to the organization’s governing and working bodies.
Ukraine’s National Commission for UNESCO appealed to the organization’s director-general, its relevant bodies and member states, according to Interfax-Ukraine. The commission asked for a formal assessment of what it called Russia’s systematic destruction of Ukraine’s scientific, educational and cultural heritage.
International response
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the strike, saying science had become a target for Russia. She also expressed sympathy for rescuers and the families of victims.
German Ambassador to Ukraine Boris Ruge condemned the attacks as well. The German Embassy, about 300 meters from the Academy, is continuing its work, Ruge said, and Germany’s strong support for Ukraine will continue.
EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernová cited the Academy strike and said Sybiha was right to call for a decisive response. Russia talks about de-escalation at the negotiating table while Kyiv hears explosions, she added.
No statements specifically addressing the Academy strike had been reported from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Poland or the U.N. secretary-general.
Russian account
Russia had not specifically addressed the strike on the Academy. Its Defense Ministry said forces struck two data centers and gas stations in Kyiv, CBS News reported.
Separately, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said prospects for quick progress toward a peace deal were bleak, citing recent Ukrainian attacks.
A historic building
The Presidium building is roughly 170 years old. It has been linked to the Academy since the institution’s founding in 1918.
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