The Foreign Office has summoned the Russian ambassador after missile strikes on Kyiv killed at least 17 people and damaged the city’s British Council office.
The ambassador, Andrey Kelin, was summoned at 1pm in London, in direct response to the severe damage inflicted on the building, government sources said.
The incident marks the first time British government property has been caught up in a Russian attack.
“Putin’s strikes last night killed civilians, destroyed homes and damaged buildings, including the British Council and EU Delegation in Kyiv,” the foreign secretary, David Lammy, posted on X.
“We have summoned the Russian Ambassador. The killing and destruction must stop.”
The prime minister, Keir Starmer, has condemned the attacks as “senseless” and accused Russia of “sabotaging hopes of peace”.
While the British Council’s offices suffered significant damage, they are not believed to have been directly hit by Russian strikes, but struck by shrapnel.
They are in the same block as the EU delegation offices, which were also damaged by Russia’s overnight attacks.
Starmer said on X: “My thoughts are with all those affected by the senseless Russian strikes on Kyiv which have damaged the British Council building.
“Putin is killing children and civilians, and sabotaging hopes of peace. This bloodshed must end.”
The British Council’s offices are seen as a representation of Britain’s soft power in Ukraine. For the last 30 years the organisation has worked as a bridge between London and Kyiv, offering academic links, arts programmes and English courses.
A spokesperson for the British Council said: “Following last night’s attack, our British Council office in Kyiv has been severely damaged and will remain closed to the public until further notice.
“Thankfully, our colleagues are all safe and our work with our Ukrainian partners in education and culture will continue uninterrupted.”