Slovakia reacted strongly to the Russian strike on Kyiv after a drone attacked the SBU building next to the consular section of the Slovak Embassy. Officials in Bratislava condemned the attack and decided to summon the Russian ambassador to provide an explanation. The Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs also called on Russia to refrain from actions that could endanger the lives and safety of civilians.
The Russian strike on Kyiv prompted a diplomatic response that was unusual for Slovakia. Following the Russian drone attack on the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) building, Slovak authorities decided to summon the Russian ambassador. The reason was that the SBU building is located next to the consular section of the Slovak Embassy in Kyiv. Juraj Blanár, Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, announced Bratislava’s reaction. According to him, the Slovak diplomatic mission in Kyiv is currently operating on a limited basis for security reasons. No one was in the consular section building at the time of the Russian strike.
Nevertheless, the very proximity of the strike site to the diplomatic mission prompted an official response from the Slovak authorities. “I have ordered the Russian ambassador to the Slovak Republic to be summoned,” Blanár stated. Thus, Bratislava decided not to limit itself to a public statement but to use diplomatic channels to seek explanations from the Russian side.
The Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs also explicitly condemned Russia’s actions. “We call on Russia to refrain from actions that could endanger the lives and safety of civilians,” Blanár stated.
At the same time, the Slovak minister addressed not only Russia. He called on both sides to avoid further escalation. “At the same time, we call on both sides to avoid further escalation, which heightens tensions and does not contribute to a peaceful resolution of the conflict,” noted the head of the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Separately, the Slovak side emphasized the need to adhere to security measures. For diplomatic missions operating in Kyiv during a full-scale war, the issue of security remains particularly important. This time, the risk directly affected a facility located next to the Slovak diplomatic mission. However, no reports of injuries among Slovak diplomats were received in Bratislava. No one was present in the consular section at the time of the strike. Slovakia’s reaction also drew attention due to its overall approach to Russia’s war against Ukraine. Bratislava does not always issue such strong statements regarding Russian strikes on Ukraine.
Therefore, the decision to summon the Russian ambassador was a notable diplomatic signal. At the same time, this statement should not be interpreted as a complete overhaul of Slovakia’s foreign policy. It represents a specific response to an attack that occurred near the country’s diplomatic facility. It was important for the Slovak authorities to demonstrate that the security of its diplomatic mission in Kyiv cannot be ignored during Russian attacks.
Now the Russian ambassador will have to provide an explanation to the Slovak side. It is currently unknown exactly how Moscow will react to this diplomatic move. The situation also highlights just how dangerous the work of diplomatic missions in Kyiv remains. Even if a specific facility is not the target of an attack, a strike on neighboring buildings can pose an immediate threat to diplomats.
It is currently known that the Slovak consular section was empty during the attack, and none of its staff were injured. At the same time, Bratislava has already responded diplomatically: Slovakia condemned the Russian strike and summoned the Russian ambassador. This was stated by Juraj Blanár, Slovakia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic.
On the evening of September 4, Russian troops attacked a warehouse in Svyatopetrivske, Belogorodskaya Community, in the Kyiv region. According to preliminary data, four direct hits by Russian drones were recorded, after which a fire broke out at the site. There were no fatalities or injuries.
In a single day, Russian troops attacked three warehouses involved in the supply of medicines and medical supplies to Ukraine. The targets included the “Biokon” warehouse in the Boryspil district, a warehouse belonging to the pharmaceutical company Teva, and a humanitarian warehouse operated by the World Health Organization. The “Biokon” complex suffered the most damage—it was completely destroyed, and preliminary estimates put the losses at billions of hryvnias.
On September 4, a Russian drone struck the main building of the Security Service of Ukraine on Volodymyrska Street in Kyiv, across from St. Sophia Cathedral.
On September 4, a Russian drone struck the Security Service of Ukraine building near the “Zoloti Vorota” metro station in central Kyiv. A fire broke out at the scene.
In the Khmelnytskyi region, debris from a downed Russian strike drone caused a fire in the warehouse of one of the local enterprises. The fire covered an area of 200 square meters, according to Serhiy Tyurin, head of the regional military administration.
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