At least 25 people, including three children, have been killed and nearly 100 injured after Russia launched one of its largest recent drone and missile barrages on Ukraine, striking multiple cities far from the front lines.
The western city of Ternopil suffered the deadliest attack, marking the worst strike in that region since the war began in 2022. The assault coincided with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s arrival in Türkiye for talks aimed at ending Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Zelenskyy condemned the attacks, saying they prove that international pressure on Moscow remains inadequate. He renewed calls for urgent air-defence support from Ukraine’s allies, stating that Russia fired over 470 drones and 48 missiles during the operation.
Nationwide air-raid alerts were issued as explosions rocked Lviv, Ternopil, and other regions. According to Ukraine’s interior ministry, 73 people were wounded in Ternopil alone, while emergency blackouts were reported across several regions due to strikes on energy infrastructure.
Images shared on Ukrainian Telegram channels showed a residential tower block in Ternopil with its top floors ripped away, flames still burning as thick smoke filled the sky. In Kharkiv, authorities reported at least 36 injuries and extensive damage to homes, schools, a supermarket, and an ambulance station.
Russia has intensified its targeting of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in recent months, prompting Kyiv to accelerate its push for more air-defence systems. Zelenskyy recently signed an agreement in France securing up to 100 fighter jets and additional weapon systems.
The attacks also triggered temporary airport closures in neighbouring Poland, where military aircraft were scrambled amid rising regional security concerns.
Meanwhile, Russia accused Ukraine of firing four US-made ATACMS missiles at the southern Russian city of Voronezh on Wednesday. Moscow claimed all the missiles were intercepted and that falling debris damaged a retirement home, orphanage, and a residential building, though no casualties were reported.
Ukrainian officials said earlier that their forces used ATACMS to strike military targets inside Russia, calling it a “significant development” in their defensive capabilities.
