Zelensky: Ukraine Has Defined the 'Geography of Response' to Russian Strikes After Attack on SBU Building in Kyiv

On September 4, a strike on the building of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) was recorded in the center of Kyiv. According to RBC-Ukraine, an enemy drone was flying directly toward the office of SBU head Oleksandr Poklad. As a result of the attack, the building sustained damage, there are injured, and nearby civilian infrastructure was also affected; at the time of the strike, a significant number of people were in the central part of the capital.

'Geography of Response Has Been Defined'

President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the attack and reported on countermeasures being prepared. 'A report from SBU head Oleksandr Poklad on our active actions being prepared in response to Russian strikes. The geography of the response has been defined,' the head of state stated. He emphasized that the timing of Ukraine's response will be chosen so that it yields results, and ordered that an 'adequate and tangible' response to the Russian strike on the capital be ensured.

Context: a series of deep strikes by the SBU

The statement about the 'geography of response' came against the backdrop of an ongoing campaign of deep strikes. According to materials from Focus, the SBU summarized the results of a 40-day operation to compel Russia to peace, during which ferries, tankers, and facilities linked to Kremlin bases were struck. Glavred reports that oil refineries and airfields deep inside Russian territory came under attack. Ukrainian media also recorded the striking of Russian vessels in the Caspian Sea, which, according to Zelensky, were carrying cargo from Iran.

Tactics and expectations for autumn

As RBC-Ukraine notes, the Russian shelling campaign is changing: 'Geran' cruise drones are harder to shoot down, and in autumn one should be prepared for the continuation of intense attacks. Under these conditions, the Ukrainian side, according to the president's statement, is deliberately choosing the direction and timing of retaliatory actions, focusing on achieving a concrete result rather than a symbolic reaction.

Thus, the strike on the SBU building became public confirmation that Ukraine has already mapped out its response actions. Specific targets and timelines, however, are not officially disclosed — the emphasis is on the fact that the decision on the timing of the strike will be made based on the expected effect.