Ukraine's SBU headquarters set alight by Russian drone ahead of US-led peace talks

Ukraine’s security service headquarters was set alight after a Russian drone struck it ahead of diplomatic talks with US officials on ending the war.

Smoke could be seen above the SBU headquarters in Kyiv on Friday after a drone targeted the office of the acting head of the security service, Oleksandr Poklad, who was unscathed following the attack.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media that Russia would face a proportionate response.

“I spoke with the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Oleksandr Poklad. Unfortunately, a Russian drone struck the central building of the Security Service of Ukraine on Volodymyrska Street in Kyiv, across from St. Sophia Cathedral,” he said.

“All emergency services are on the scene. Everyone affected will receive the necessary assistance. The drone was aimed directly at the office of the Head of the Security Service in that building.

“I instructed Poklad to deliver an appropriate, tangible response and, where possible, one that mirrors this strike, to the Russians once everything is ready. Our military will support this response. Glory to Ukraine!”

The air war between Russia and Ukraine has intensified as the conflict stretches toward five years since Moscow's invasion of its neighbor.

Russia has opted for fast-flying, jet-powered drones in recent times and the recurring wail of air-raid sirens has become part of daily life in Kyiv.

Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha called the strike a "major escalation" that came as potential peace talks were building momentum."Moscow launched this strike during a renewed push for peace — laying bare its true rejection of diplomacy," he said in a post on X.

Meanwhile, an investigation is set to determine what caused a dispute between the SBU with the defence ministry’s HUR security agency

The dispute centres on the disappearance for nine days of a Russian nationalist activist fighting alongside Ukrainian troops in ⁠the 4-1/2-year-old war pitting ​Moscow ⁠against Kyiv.

The nationalist said he was detained by the SBU Security Service and obliged to ⁠sign a confession that he collaborated with Russian intelligence. ​He ⁠later retracted the statement.

Meanwhile, US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to travel to Moscow and then Kyiv over the weekend and into early next week, a US official said Friday.

The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, did not have more specific timing for the stops.

This would be their first visit to Kyiv as US efforts to negotiate a settlement have yet to produce a path to peace.

President Zelensky said Friday that he was expecting Witkoff and Kushner to visit Kyiv on Sunday, after visiting Moscow.

He said in a Telegram post that Ukraine will refrain from airstrikes during the negotiations and called on Russia to reciprocate to allow the talks to proceed safely.

"As with previous diplomatic visits by the American side, we will ensure the normal functioning of Russian airspace so that the negotiators can arrive safely. We are concerned about their safety, not about Russia," he said.