Russian strikes hit Kyiv data centres, office blocks and National Academy of Sciences, causing outages and fire
This week Russian air and drone attacks have repeatedly struck Ukrainian digital and civilian infrastructure. In Kyiv, data centres housed in office buildings were damaged, prompting service interruptions, while a drone strike ignited a fire at the National Academy of Sciences. Additional raids hit an office building in Dnipro and other sites in Kyiv, including a pharmaceutical facility and fuel stations. Ukrainian officials say the attacks have disrupted communications and damaged key institutions, and President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned the strikes as attacks on civilians.
How this was covered
- Right-leaning outlets covered this 2h later
- Coverage peaked at 8 outlets in a single hour
Why it matters
The attacks threaten Ukraine's communications network and civilian infrastructure, affecting everyday life and access to information.
How the sides frame it
HIGH AGREEMENTAll camps report civilian casualties from Russian drone strikes, but left-leaning coverage emphasizes the attacks as terror against civilians and scientific institutions, centrist coverage presents a straightforward factual account with official statements, and right-leaning coverage highlights Russian use of advanced drones and Ukraine’s defensive response and territorial gains.
LEFT
Frames the strikes as a terrorist campaign targeting civilians and scientific sites, condemning Russia and stressing outrage.
CENTER
Provides a neutral factual summary of the attacks, citing casualty numbers and official reactions without strong evaluative language.
RIGHT
Portrays the attacks as part of Russia's aggressive drone campaign, underscoring Ukraine's defensive actions and gains.
The left emphasises
- campaign of pure terror
- targeting scientific work
- Zelensky condemns the assaults
The right emphasises
- Russia's use of high-altitude jet-drones
- Ukraine downing drones at reduced rate
- Ukraine reporting territorial gains
How this story developed
- Sep 4 Russian drone strikes SBU headquarters in Kyiv, injuring five people
- Sep 24 The wave of strikes expanded beyond Kyiv to hit Odessa and the Kharkiv region, raising the death toll.
- Sep 24 The Russian attack involved 282 drones and several missiles, according to the Ukrainian air force.
- Sep 24 Zelensky offered a reciprocal pause, linking Ukraine's halt on Russian refinery strikes to Russia ending attacks on Ukrainian energy sites.
- Sep 25 Mayor Vitali Klitschko updated the death toll to seven and the injury count to 46.
- Sep 26 At the UN General Assembly, Sergej Lavrov declared that the threat to Russian security will be eliminated and that peaceful life will return, while accusing Europe of blocking peace talks.
- Sep 26 A bipartisan group of 14 senators sent a letter urging President Trump to withdraw Putin’s G20 invitation.
- Sep 26 Russian attacks killed four civilians in Ukraine, while a Ukrainian drone strike in Russia's Krasnodar region killed three people.
- Sep 27 Canada formally requested to join the Joint Expeditionary Force.
- Sep 27 A 14‑year‑old Israeli boy was killed in the Kyiv drone strike.
- Sep 27 German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul held a bilateral meeting with Sergej Lavrov at the United Nations, the first such talks at this level since the conflict began.
- Sep 27 German de‑escalation pleas were rejected and talks have stalled.
- Sep 28 Polish Deputy Prime Minister Radosław Sikorski publicly urged Lavrov to end the war during a UN Security Council debate.
- Sep 28 Russian strikes this week damaged Kyiv data centres and set fire to the National Academy of Sciences.
Related stories
18 in this thread