Russia struck a Ukrainian government building in Kyiv over the weekend with an Iskander missile, marking the first attack of its kind since the war began more than three years ago, officials confirmed Monday.
Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, said he discussed the strike with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “For the first time, the enemy attacked the building of the Government of Ukraine with an Iskander missile strike,” Yermak wrote on X.
The attack came during Russia’s largest wave of drones and missiles since the invasion in February 2022. European Union ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, who visited the damaged building, described a “gaping hole” left by the strike. “It’s only because the missile was unable to fully detonate that the entire building wasn’t turned into ruins,” she added.
According to Andriy Danyk, head of the Ukrainian State Emergency Service, the blast damaged 800 to 900 square metres (8,611 to 9,688 square feet) of the building and sparked a rapidly spreading fire.
The assault killed and injured several people, prompting Kyiv to urge its allies to impose tougher sanctions on Moscow. Yermak confirmed he discussed “strengthening sanctions against Russia” and security guarantees with Rubio in the event of a future ceasefire.
What you should know
Russia’s weekend missile strike on a government building in Kyiv represents a major escalation in the conflict, with Ukraine calling for fresh sanctions on Moscow.
The Iskander missile caused widespread damage but failed to fully detonate, preventing even greater destruction.
