Damaged by Russian Strike, NAS Building in Kyiv Planned to Be Winterized Before Cold Weather

The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine is urgently developing a project for the large-scale winterization of the presidium building, which sustained critical damage as a result of a recent massive Russian drone attack. The leadership of the scientific agency has set the goal of completing all primary emergency and preservation works before the onset of cold weather to prevent the ultimate destruction of the remaining structures under the influence of precipitation and low temperatures.

Scale of Destruction and Current Condition of Premises

According to Vyacheslav Bogdanov, First Vice-President of the NAS, in comments to specialized media, the direct hit of the enemy drone and the subsequent large-scale fire damaged about 900 square meters of premises out of a total area of 2,350 square meters, accounting for approximately 40% of the entire historic building. The situation is complicated by the fact that even the part of the structure that was undamaged by fire is currently completely unsuitable for full operation.

During the extinguishing of the massive fire, water penetrated to the lower and adjacent floors, severely damaging rooms with traditional wooden ceilings, old lath, and plaster. Currently, employees of the Kyiv Emergency Rescue Service are completing the dismantling of the most dangerous and emergency structures threatening collapse, while regular academy staff are providing assistance in clearing debris.

Contradictory Data

During the coverage of the consequences of the tragic incident in various media sources, certain discrepancies arose regarding the exact timing of repair and restoration work and the emergency status of individual wings of the building. While official representatives of the NAS of Ukraine insist on the possibility of prompt winterization of key nodes before the winter period, independent construction experts express concerns that the extensive moisture in the wooden floors may require a longer and more expensive preliminary drying cycle, potentially shifting the schedule of planned engineering measures to a later date.

International Solidarity and Further Steps

Despite the colossal destruction and loss of life, the presidium of the academy showed resilience and held its regular working meeting as early as September 30. The leadership of the NAS of Ukraine expresses hope that broad international support and words of solidarity from leading global scientific organizations will not only help with the technical equipment of laboratories but also increase pressure on international academic journals and structures that still continue cooperation with Russian research institutes.