Scientists Escape Through Windows After Russian Drone Hits Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences

A Russian jet-powered drone struck the building of Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences in the heart of Kyiv yesterday (Monday). The impact set the top two floors on fire and forced employees to escape through the windows as they waited to be rescued by ladders.

The attack took place shortly before 1:30 p.m., while many employees were on their lunch break. At least two people were killed and six were injured. Andriy Kovalenko, an officer in the Ukrainian military and a former senior government official, shared a photograph of employees climbing out of the windows and wrote: "What a stupid war."

The strike was only the beginning of a busy day for rescue crews. Less than two hours later, another drone hit a clinic about a mile south, and an hour after that, another drone was intercepted just as it struck a nearby building.

In recent weeks, Russia has been attacking Kyiv around the clock with new jet-powered drones that Ukrainian air-defense systems have found difficult to shoot down. Strikes were reported at a data center, on a street, at a gas station, in a warehouse, and in a high-rise building.