Home / War and Conflict / Ukraine's SBU HQ Hit by Russian Drone
Ukraine's SBU HQ Hit by Russian Drone
4 Sep
Summary
- Russia launched a drone strike on the SBU headquarters in Kyiv.
- The SBU is Ukraine's powerful domestic security agency formed in 1991.
- The agency has an authorized wartime staff ceiling of 41,000 personnel.
Russia conducted a drone strike on the headquarters of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) in Kyiv on Friday. This action by Russia is seen as an escalation of the ongoing conflict.
The SBU, established in 1991 following Ukraine's independence, is a significant domestic security organization. Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, the SBU has intensified its operations, including investigating war crimes and countering cyber threats.
In recent times, the SBU has claimed responsibility for spectacular operations against Russia, such as the 2022 truck bomb attack on Crimea's bridge and a 2025 drone attack targeting Russian strategic bombers. The agency also operates a special forces unit involved in attacks deep inside Russia.
Currently, Oleksandr Poklad is the acting head of the SBU, and his office was directly targeted in the recent drone strike. The SBU has a wartime personnel cap of 41,000, an increase from the previous 31,000 limit.
Additionally, the SBU maintains a rivalry with Ukraine's military intelligence agency, the Main Intelligence Directorate. A recent dispute between members of these two organizations led to a shootout in Kyiv.
