Ternopil strike kills 26 civilians

At least 26 people were killed and many more were missing after a large Russian drone and missile strike hit apartment buildings in the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil, officials said. Footage from the scene showed upper floors of a residential block torn away, smoke rising as firefighters battled flames and personal belongings, including children’s toys, strewn outside the damaged building. Rescue teams combed rubble, using sniffer dogs and hand searches to reach those who may still be trapped amid blocked stairwells and collapsed debris.

Ukraine’s interior minister reported that 26 people remained missing, including three children, and that nearly 100 people had been injured. Local authorities warned that harsh weather and damaged infrastructure complicated rescue efforts. Power outages and disrupted transport links were reported across affected areas after the barrage, hindering emergency response and civilian movement.

Ukrainian officials said the strikes formed part of a massive overnight assault that used hundreds of drones and dozens of guided missiles, targeting energy and transport infrastructure as well as residential areas. Kyiv’s air-defence forces said they intercepted many incoming weapons but acknowledged some penetrated defences. Moscow did not immediately comment.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as “deliberate terrorism” against civilian life and called for tougher sanctions on Russia. Local leaders described a significant humanitarian toll, warning that clearing wreckage and assisting survivors will take time. Humanitarian agencies said the strikes amplify fears for civilians far from front-line fighting, noting the approaching winter heightens needs for shelter, medical care and power restoration.

Allied governments and observers expressed alarm at the scale and reach of long‑range and drone-delivered munitions, prompting renewed calls for enhanced air‑defence support for Kyiv. Ukrainian authorities said they will continue documenting the strikes for possible future legal action and war‑crimes prosecutions. The incident underscores the mounting risk to urban centres across Ukraine and the challenge of protecting dispersed civilian populations from sustained aerial assaults.