Deadliest Attack in Western Ukraine: 25 Killed in Russian Missile Strike on Ternopil Flat

TERNOPIL, UKRAINE — At least 25 people, including three children, were killed, and 73 wounded in a Russian missile and drone attack that struck two high-rise apartment blocks in the relatively secure western city of Ternopil early Wednesday, November 19.

The devastating strike, which used Russian X-101 cruise missiles, is one of the deadliest in the region since the 2022 invasion. Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that one block was destroyed between the third and ninth floors, with many victims trapped in the rubble. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared video footage showing the significant destruction, as plumes of smoke rose over the city, rarely targeted due to its proximity to the Polish border.

The Ternopil tragedy occurred amid a massive wave of aerial strikes across the country. Russia launched 476 drones and 48 missiles, targeting energy and civil infrastructure. Ukraine\’s Air Force claimed high interception rates, downing 442 drones and 41 missiles—some destroyed by recently supplied F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets.

Despite the success, the sheer volume of attacks highlights how stretched Ukraine\’s air defenses are, allowing missiles to cause devastating civilian damage. The Air Force issued an urgent public plea for the \”uninterrupted and timely supply of aviation weapons from Western partners.\”

Beyond Ternopil, the neighboring Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions were struck, damaging energy facilities and causing more power cuts as Russia continues its strategy of hitting the power grid ahead of the fourth winter of the war. A separate drone attack on Kharkiv wounded more than 30 people, confirming the widespread nature of the Russian assault.