A massive overnight Russian drone and missile strike on Ternopil destroyed parts of two nine‑storey apartment blocks, killing 19 and wounding at least 66, including 16 children. Ukraine says the attack involved hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles; air defences and Western jets intercepted many of them. President Zelenskyy flew to Turkey to meet President Erdogan as diplomatic pressure on Russia is stepped up and new U.S. sanctions approach. NATO neighbours scrambled jets and airports were temporarily closed as the situation unfolded.
Russian Drone and Missile Barrage Devastates Ternopil — 19 Dead as Zelenskyy Travels to Turkey
Russian drones and missiles struck the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil overnight, collapsing parts of two nine‑storey apartment blocks and killing 19 people, emergency services said. Rescue teams worked through daylight to search the rubble for survivors, and authorities reported at least 66 wounded, including 16 children.
Scale of the attack
Ukraine's air force said the assault involved 476 strike and decoy drones and 48 missiles of various types. The barrage included 47 cruise missiles; air-defence systems intercepted all but six of those cruise missiles, and Western‑supplied F‑16 and Mirage‑2000 jets were credited with shooting down at least 10. Officials warned that assessments of damage and casualties remain incomplete as search-and-rescue operations continue.
Political and military response
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who flew to Turkey for high-level talks, condemned the attack on civilians and said each brazen strike underscores that international pressure on Russia to end the war remains insufficient. He plans to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to press for broader diplomatic isolation of Moscow and increased support to secure a just peace. Tougher U.S. sanctions on Russia's oil sector are due to take effect on Friday.
A senior Turkish official first said a U.S. special envoy would join Zelenskyy in Turkey but later said the envoy would not attend; the official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss arrangements publicly.
Regional fallout
The strike on Ternopil — about 200 kilometres (120 miles) from the Polish border — occurred in a relatively calmer part of western Ukraine where many displaced people have relocated. NATO neighbours reacted: Romania scrambled Eurofighter Typhoon and F‑16 jets after a drone entered its airspace, and Poland deployed allied and domestic aircraft as a precaution, temporarily closing Rzeszów and Lublin airports to prioritise military flights.
In northeastern Kharkiv, regional authorities reported that Russian drones wounded 46 people, including two girls, and damaged at least 16 residential buildings, an ambulance station, a school and other civilian infrastructure.
Conflicting claims over strikes
Russia's Defence Ministry said its strikes targeted Ukrainian energy and military-industrial facilities, including long-range drone depots, and framed the operation as retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory. Moscow also claimed Ukraine fired four U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles at the Russian city of Voronezh and said all four were shot down; debris reportedly damaged a private house, an orphanage and a gerontology centre but caused no casualties. Ukraine's General Staff confirmed it had launched ATACMS strikes at targets in Russia but provided no further details.
The situation remains fluid as investigators and rescue teams continue their work and diplomats pursue intensified international pressure on Moscow.
Reporting contributed by Stephen McGrath.
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