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At least 20 people, among them two children, were killed in a Russian drone and missile strike targeting residential areas in the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil, Ukrainian authorities confirmed on Wednesday. The attack, which hit two apartment blocks, also left 66 people injured, including 16 children, marking one of the deadliest assaults on western Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Emergency services are continuing search and rescue efforts amid fears that more residents remain trapped beneath the rubble. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia fired more than 470 drones and 47 missiles in the latest wave of attacks, causing “significant destruction”. A video released by Zelensky showed one of the damaged buildings almost completely collapsed from the third to the ninth floor.
The country’s energy ministry reported widespread power outages across multiple regions. Energy, transport and civil infrastructure were also damaged in other western areas, including Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk, where three people were injured, two of them children. Images circulating on social media showed several buildings and vehicles engulfed in flames.
In the northern city of Kharkiv, drone strikes targeted three districts, wounding more than 30 people. Ukrainian officials warned that the scale of the assault has disrupted critical services and may hamper rescue and relief operations.
Strikes Follow Ukrainian Use of Long-Range Missiles on Russian Soil
The attacks came a day after Ukraine acknowledged, for the first time, launching US-supplied long-range ATACMS missiles at military targets inside Russia. Moscow’s defence ministry claimed that four missiles targeting the southern city of Voronezh were intercepted and destroyed by air defences.
Diplomatic Efforts Intensify Amid Ongoing Hostilities
President Zelensky is due to travel to Ankara, Turkey, in an attempt to help advance a US-backed effort to seek an end to the conflict. He is scheduled to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as reports emerge that Steve Witkoff, a special envoy appointed by US President Donald Trump, has been coordinating discussions with Russian counterpart Kirill Dmitriev.
However, the Kremlin said no Russian representatives would be joining the Ankara talks. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to confirm reports of a secret peace plan, telling journalists: “There is nothing new that we can inform you about.”
Zelensky is also expected to host two senior US military officials in Kyiv on Thursday — Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Army Chief of Staff General Randy George — the highest-ranking American defense figures to visit Ukraine since Trump took office.
European Airspace Violations and Regional Response
Separately, Romania’s defence ministry revealed that a Russian drone flew 8km (5 miles) through Romanian airspace before re-entering Ukraine and Moldova and eventually returning to Romania. Both German and Romanian aircraft were scrambled, and officials are unsure where the drone landed.
In response to the overnight strikes, Poland deployed fighter jets early on Wednesday and temporarily closed two airports in the country’s southeast.
No Movement Toward Peace as War Approaches Four-Year Mark
Next February marks four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Despite mounting civilian casualties and intensifying strikes, both Kyiv and Moscow have maintained firm and conflicting positions on a potential settlement. Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated that Russia’s conditions for peace remain unchanged from those laid out by President Vladimir Putin in 2024.
As recovery efforts continue in Ternopil, Ukrainian officials warned that further attacks are likely. Sirens continue to sound across the country as emergency teams battle fires, locate survivors and work to restore essential services.
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