A massive Russian overnight missile and drone assault on Ternopil, in western Ukraine, killed at least 20 people, including two children, Ukrainian emergency services reported on Wednesday. The strike struck heavily populated residential areas, destroying two nine-storey apartment buildings and injuring dozens more. Rescue teams are working through the rubble as fears grow that more may be trapped under the debris.
According to the State Emergency Service (SES), rescue operations continued into the afternoon, with at least 66 people reported wounded, including 16 children. Officials said one high-rise building “caught fire,” while another was “destroyed from the 3rd to 9th floor,” underscoring the strike’s severe impact on civilians. The SES confirmed that emergency crews remain on site, carefully working to reach survivors.
Attack Details and Weapons Used
Ukrainian Air Force sources said the assault likely involved Kh-101 cruise missiles, along with Kalibr missiles and a ballistic missile — part of a coordinated aerial barrage. A missile strike flattened portions of at least one residential tower, according to local authorities, and the mayor of Ternopil, Serhiy Nadal, confirmed that dozens of people are missing.
The large-scale nature of the attack was underscored by the sheer number of vehicles and drones used, according to several assessments. Local authorities say powerful air defences shot down many of the incoming threats, but not before some missiles penetrated and caused widespread destruction.
Civilian Toll and Political Repercussions
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko condemned the strike as a deliberate attack on civilians, noting that the targets were not military positions but “ordinary places where people live their lives.” The attack comes amid a wider escalation of Russian strikes, particularly on civilian infrastructure and energy sites.
The death toll has raised alarm not just in Ukraine but internationally, as once more the war’s impact on non-combatants becomes tragically clear. Ukrainian leaders are calling for stronger global support, including more advanced air-defence systems, to protect civilian populations and prevent further mass-casualty attacks.