An EU envoy and Ukrainian defence outlets say a Russian Iskander cruise missile struck the Cabinet of Ministers building in central Kyiv during the overnight assault of 6–7 September, with the warhead failing to detonate and fuel fire causing damage across several upper floors.

Katarína Mathernová, the European Union’s ambassador to Ukraine, visited the site on Monday with other mission heads and Ukrainian officials. She said sizeable remnants presented to diplomats indicated an Iskander was aimed directly at the government complex. “The Iskander … that struck the Cabinet of Ministers was aimed right there – at the heart of Ukraine’s government,” she wrote, adding that shrapnel from a cluster payload was also shown. Mathernová’s account followed images released by Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko of internal fire damage and debris.

Defence Express, citing analysis of fragments, reported the munition as a 9M727 Iskander-K cruise missile, not a Shahed drone as some early posts suggested. According to the outlet, the 450-kg warhead did not detonate; burning propellant from the missile’s tanks ignited the blaze. Several Ukrainian media subsequently repeated the identification. Ukrainian authorities said the precise type would be determined by technical examination.

The strike on the Cabinet building — a first since Russia’s full-scale invasion — occurred during what officials described as the largest air attack of the war. Ukraine’s Air Force and multiple independent assessments reported an unprecedented volume of drones and missiles launched across the country through the night of 7 September. International outlets put the scale at more than 800 drones alongside cruise and ballistic missiles; Ukraine said it downed the vast majority of unmanned aircraft and several missiles.

Reuters, The Guardian and The Times reported at least three to four fatalities nationwide, including a child, and dozens of injuries, with impacts and debris recorded in several regions. In Kyiv, smoke was seen rising from the Cabinet of Ministers roof before firefighters contained the blaze. No casualties were reported inside the complex, and the government said operations would continue.

The Interior Ministry told Ukrainian media that, pending forensic confirmation, the projectile that hit the building was “likely” a cruise missile directed at the government quarter. The ministry stressed that formal classification would follow an expert assessment. That position aligns with open-source reporting pointing to an Iskander-K (R-500) series missile, a ground-launched cruise weapon used repeatedly against Ukrainian cities.

The 9M727 variant identified by Defence Express is part of the Iskander operational-tactical complex alongside the 9M728 and 9M729. It is widely regarded as a land-based derivative of the Kalibr family. Ukrainian sources note its use in prior high-profile strikes, including the 2023 attack on the Chernihiv drama theatre. The reported failure of the 450-kg warhead to detonate limited destruction to the Cabinet building compared with a full-function event.

Mathernová, who has recently highlighted damage to EU-linked premises in Kyiv from earlier bombardments, said the visit underscored the need for partners to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences. Svyrydenko made a similar call, publishing footage from inside the damaged structure and stating that government work would not be interrupted.

The broader strike pattern overnight targeted multiple regions, including Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia and Kryvyi Rih, according to national and international reports. Ukrainian air defence claimed hundreds of intercepts but acknowledged that volume tactics allowed some missiles and drones to penetrate. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War and Critical Threats also noted Ukrainian claims of downing or suppressing several Iskander-K missiles amid the saturation attack.

Diplomatic reactions from Europe, the UK and the United States condemned the strikes and referred to potential further measures. Kyiv framed the attack on a central government facility as evidence of intent to degrade governance and public administration.