---
title: "Russian drone strikes the National University of Food Technologies in Kyiv: fireballs burst from windows as 160 students shelter in place"
description: "A Russian drone struck the National University of Food Technologies in Kyiv on September 2. University buildings were damaged, and fire engulfed the roof. 160 students were in shelters, and there are no injuries among students or faculty."
date: 2026-09-02T11:46:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/russian-drone-strikes-national-university-of-food-technologies-in-kyiv
tags: [kyiv-attack, university-strike, russia-ukraine-war, drone-attack, education-infrastructure]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Russian drone strikes the National University of Food Technologies in Kyiv: fireballs burst from windows as 160 students shelter in place

![Fire at the National University of Food Technologies in Kyiv after a Russian drone strike: fireballs burst from the windows and roof](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/02/udar-drona-po-natsionalnomu-universitetu-pishchevykh-tekhnologiy-v-kyeve/udar-drona-po-natsionalnomu-universitetu-pishchevykh-tekhnologiy-v-kyeve-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- A Russian UAV struck the National University of Food Technologies in Kyiv on September 2, 2026; several buildings were damaged
- Education Minister Andriy Butenko confirmed: there are no injuries among students or faculty
- Around 160 students were in the building at the time of the attack and were evacuated to shelters
- The strike on NUFT was part of a series of attacks on Kyiv, including a hit on a warehouse building and a fire in the Holosiivskyi district

On Wednesday, September 2, 2026, Russian occupation forces struck the grounds of the National University of Food Technologies (NUFT) in Kyiv with an unmanned aerial vehicle. According to the university's press service and a statement by Minister of Education and Science Andriy Butenko, several university buildings were damaged as a result of the attack. Published footage shows tongues of flame shooting out of second-floor windows, while a thick column of black smoke rises above the roof. As of the time the official statements were published, no students or faculty members had been injured.

### Timeline and details of the strike

The attack on the university took place during the day on September 2, as part of a broader wave of strikes on Kyiv. As Minister of Education and Science Andriy Butenko stated in his official statement, Russia struck NUFT during daylight hours. "University buildings have been damaged. There are no injuries among students or faculty," he emphasized. Butenko also thanked the university's leadership and staff, who, in his words, organized the educational process taking all security risks into account. According to Ukrainian media, around 160 students were in the university buildings at the time of the attack and were evacuated to shelters in accordance with civil defense protocols.

### Condition of the buildings and first photos of the aftermath

NUFT's press service reported in its first statement of "significant damage to several buildings." Photographs published on social networks document extensive damage: fire engulfed the roof and upper floors of several buildings, windows were blown out, and structural fragments collapsed. The university's statement stressed that "a university is first and foremost its people, and as long as we stand together, it cannot be destroyed." Emergency services promptly began extinguishing the fire and assessing the extent of the material damage.

### Context: what is known about NUFT

The National University of Food Technologies is one of the oldest and most influential universities in Ukraine, founded in 1919. Over the decades, the university has trained thousands of specialists in food industry, biotechnology, and agrochemistry, and its graduates hold leadership positions in the country's largest industry companies. The strike on an active educational institution, where hundreds of students and faculty members were present at the time of the attack, has caused particular concern in society and underscores Russia's systematic practice of targeting educational facilities.

### Contradictory data

A discrepancy in the assessment of casualties has been recorded in the statements of two official sources. NUFT's press service, in its first message published immediately after the strike, stated: "The number of casualties is being clarified." Meanwhile, Minister of Education and Science Andriy Butenko in his statement already concluded: "There are no injuries among students or faculty." Thus, the university's initial uncertainty was resolved at the level of the relevant ministry. In addition, in the headlines of several publications (Ukrainews) the strike is described as having been carried out "during classes," while other sources (Ura-Inform) clarify that 160 students were in shelters at the time of the attack. Both formulations do not contradict each other: classes were in progress as usual, and upon the alarm being sounded, students were evacuated to protective structures.

### Broader context: strikes on Kyiv on September 2

The attack on NUFT was part of a series of strikes on the capital recorded on September 2. In addition to the university, Russian drones struck a warehouse building in Kyiv. In the Holosiivskyi district, a fire broke out after an enemy strike, which was extinguished by rescue services. The overall picture of the attack indicates a multi-vector nature of the strikes, directed simultaneously at civilian infrastructure and educational facilities.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [What the National University of Food Technologies looks like after the drone strike: photos released](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/k-viglyadae-natsionalniy-universitet-harchovih-1788349143.html) - Подтверждает факт удара, публикует фото последствий, ссылается на заявление Бутенко и пресс-службу НУХТ
- [Grew billionaires and changed the industry: what you need to know about the shelled NUFT in Kyiv](https://news.telegraf.com.ua/ukraina/5949093-vyrastil-milliarderov-i-izmenil-promyshlennost-chto-nuzhno-znat-ob-obstrelyannom-nukht-v-kieve) - Даёт контекст о истории и значении университета, подтверждает факт обстрела
- [Russian drone strikes university in central Kyiv during classes: 160 students ...](https://ukranews.com/news/1172515-rossijskij-dron-nanes-udar-po-universitetu-v-tsentre-kieva-vo-vremya-zanyatij-160-studentov) - Указывает на 160 студентов в здании, формулирует удар как «во время занятий»
- [Russian drone strike on university in Kyiv: 160 students were in shelters during the attack](https://ura-inform.com/proisshestviya-ru/2026/09/02/udar-rossijskogo-drona-po-universitetu-v-kieve-160-studentov-nahodilis-v-ukrytii-vo-vremya-ataki/) - Подтверждает 160 студентов в укрытии, согласуется с данными Бутенко об отсутствии пострадавших

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Which specific university in Kyiv was struck on September 2, 2026?
**A:** The National University of Food Technologies (NUFT) was hit by a Russian drone. This was confirmed by Minister of Education and Science Andriy Butenko and the university's own press service.

### Q: Are there any casualties among students and faculty?
**A:** Education Minister Andriy Butenko stated that there are no injuries among students or faculty. At the time of the attack, around 160 students were in shelters in accordance with civil defense protocols.

### Q: What is the extent of the damage to the university?
**A:** NUFT's press service reported significant damage to several buildings. Photos show a fire on the roof and upper floors, blown-out windows, and collapsed structural fragments. The exact assessment of material damage has not been announced as of the time of publication.

### Q: What else happened in Kyiv on September 2?
**A:** The strike on NUFT was part of a series of attacks: Russian UAVs also hit a warehouse building in Kyiv, and a fire broke out in the Holosiivskyi district after a strike, which was extinguished by rescue services.