A Russian drone struck the National Academy of Sciences in central Kyiv on Monday, killing at least one person in the latest daytime assault on Ukraine’s capital.

Fire spread through the historic building as people climbed from first- and second-storey windows to escape, scenes that have become increasingly common in the repeatedly targeted city.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said at least one person died and three others were injured. The wounded were taken to hospital.

The 19th-century academy building is located near the German embassy, the National Opera, St Volodymyr’s Cathedral and several state institutions.

Anatoliy Zagorodny, president of the National Academy of Sciences, said the explosion occurred while many employees were at work. Speaking outside the damaged building, he said he could not understand why Russia had selected a major scientific centre as a target.

“We have no connection to the military. This is an attack on science. It is terrorism,” he said. He added that he feared some colleagues might still be inside the academy.

Although the academy is a civilian research institution, it has historic links with Ukraine’s defence industry. Those injured in Monday’s attack included Volodymyr Horbulin, the academy’s first vice-president and a former senior security official.

A separate Russian drone hit a private medical clinic nearby, killing at least one person.

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, accused Moscow of acting with particular cynicism by striking a scientific institution during working hours. He said Russia was testing the limits of what it believes the international community will accept, warning that every attack not met with a firm response encourages another.

Over the past week, Russian missiles and increasingly advanced jet-powered drones have struck apartment buildings, offices, warehouses and data centres across Kyiv. Civilians have been killed and wounded almost every day, giving the capital an increasingly frontline atmosphere during one of its most intense periods of bombardment since the opening phase of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

The drone and missile campaign appears intended to weaken public morale and harm Ukraine’s economy. Monday’s two attacks are likely to deepen fears about whether even the most protected areas of the capital can be adequately defended.

The newer jet-powered drones travel faster and are more difficult to shoot down than the older Shahed, or Geran-2, aircraft that formed the backbone of Moscow’s earlier air campaign. Ukraine is working urgently to develop and produce interceptor drones capable of stopping them.

Russia has also adjusted its approach by carrying out more strikes during daylight, forcing residents of major cities to remain under air-raid warnings for larger parts of the day.

Many buildings hit in daytime attacks are occupied, as Ukrainians often continue working during drone alerts instead of spending long periods in shelters.

Elsewhere, a Russian jet-powered drone struck western Ukraine near a border crossing with Poland. Polish authorities issued an alert over a possible air attack and told people in the eastern Lublin region to seek shelter.

Russian forces have increasingly targeted Ukraine’s crossings with Poland and Moldova, prompting Kyiv to consider moving joint customs facilities onto the territory of neighbouring states. A Polish military representative said the incident again brought the threat dangerously close to Poland’s border.

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urged western governments to increase pressure on Russia. He said every Russian attack that kills people could have been prevented if pressure on Moscow had become comprehensive, adding that the world must recognise that such violence will spread further if Russia is not stopped in Ukraine.

Russia has indicated that it could intensify its campaign against Ukraine, while efforts backed by the United States to bring the war to an end have shown little visible progress.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine would have to face consequences for its recent strikes inside Russian territory, claiming that this was already taking place.