Ukrainian officials report that at least 25 individuals, including three children, were killed in a Russian missile and drone assault that targeted two apartment buildings in the western city of Ternopil.
The attack, which occurred early on Wednesday, also left 73 others injured, 15 of whom were children, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the region since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russian X-101 cruise missiles struck the residential buildings.
Additional attacks were reported in the neighboring Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, while a drone strike in three districts of the northeastern city of Kharkiv injured over 30 people. Online images depicted buildings and vehicles engulfed in flames.
The air force stated that it had intercepted 442 out of 476 drones and 41 out of 48 missiles launched by Russia, including 10 missiles downed by F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets provided to Ukraine by Western allies.
However, acknowledging the strain on Ukraine’s air defenses, the air force called for “the uninterrupted and timely supply of aviation weapons from Western partners.”
Ternopil, located closer to the Polish border than to the capital Kyiv, has seldom experienced attacks since the onset of the full-scale invasion.
Footage shared on social media captured missiles flying towards the city, with little evidence of air defenses responding from the ground.
The extent of the destruction from the Russian strikes on Ternopil quickly became apparent.
A video released by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that one of the apartment blocks had entirely collapsed, with Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko stating it was destroyed between the third and ninth floors.
Zelensky noted that the attack caused “significant destruction,” with many victims believed to be trapped in the debris. Smoke billowed from windows, and small fires ignited outside the building.
A large cloud of smoke rose behind the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ternopil as sirens echoed throughout the city.
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With limited defense systems and a vast territory to protect each night, there remains a constant risk that some Russian missiles and drones will penetrate defenses, leading to catastrophic outcomes, as seen in Ternopil.
Elsewhere in western Ukraine, energy facilities, transportation, and civil infrastructure were damaged.
In the Ivano-Frankivsk region, the energy sector was targeted, resulting in injuries to two of the three reported victims, who were children.
The head of the Lviv region confirmed that an energy facility had been hit.
As the fourth winter of the war approaches, Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid, aiming to undermine morale, disrupt logistics, and impact Ukraine’s defense industry.
Electrical supplies are already being rationed, and following the latest assaults, the energy ministry announced additional power cuts across the nation.
