Russian Strikes Kill 10 in Ternopil, Wound Dozens Across Western Ukraine

At least ten people have been killed and dozens more injured after Russian forces launched a series of devastating attacks on western Ukraine, including two residential blocks in Ternopil, Ukrainian officials confirmed. Among the wounded were 12 children, marking one of the deadliest assaults on western Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Ukraine’s Interior Minister, Ihor Klymenko, said the attacks also affected other western regions, including Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk. In the northern city of Kharkiv, a drone strike wounded more than 30 people across three districts, with images circulating online showing cars and buildings engulfed in flames.

Infrastructure and Power Impacted
The Ukrainian Energy Ministry reported widespread power outages affecting multiple regions. Vital energy facilities, transport networks, and civil infrastructure suffered significant damage, particularly in Ivano-Frankivsk, where two of the wounded were children. Lviv’s regional head confirmed that an energy facility had been hit.

President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Russia fired over 470 drones and 47 missiles, causing “significant destruction” and leaving the possibility that civilians could be trapped under the rubble in Ternopil.

Escalation Amid Military Developments
The strikes followed Ukraine’s admission that it had deployed US-supplied longer-range ATACMS missiles against military targets inside Russia—a first in the conflict. Moscow claimed that four of the missiles were aimed at Voronezh but were intercepted by air defenses.

Regional Tensions Rise
The attacks triggered heightened security across neighboring countries. Romanian defense authorities reported that a Russian drone briefly entered Romanian airspace, crossed into Ukraine and Moldova, and then returned to Romania, prompting the deployment of Romanian and German fighter jets. Poland also temporarily closed two airports in its southeast in response to the strikes.

Diplomatic Efforts Amid the Conflict
Amid rising violence, President Zelensky is traveling to Ankara, Turkey, to pursue renewed US-backed peace efforts. He will meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, although the Kremlin stated that Russia will not participate in these talks. Discussions are reportedly influenced by plans from Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Russian counterpart Kirill Dmitriev.

As the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches in February 2026, fundamental disagreements persist between Moscow and Kyiv regarding peace terms. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated earlier this month that Russia’s conditions for a peace deal remain unchanged from 2024.

The attacks underline the fragility of security in western Ukraine and the risk of the conflict spilling over into neighboring countries. Civilians remain at risk from missile and drone attacks, while energy and infrastructure damage exacerbate humanitarian and logistical challenges. International observers are closely monitoring developments, highlighting the urgent need for diplomatic intervention to prevent further escalation.