A massive overnight Russian missile-and-drone barrage devastated the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil, killing at least 26 people—among them three children — and injuring more than 70, as confirmed by Ukrainian authorities. The strike levelled parts of two nine-storey apartment buildings and left emergency workers searching the rubble for at least two more days, with two dozen people still missing.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said nineteen of the victims, including children aged 5, 7, and 16, were burned alive when fires engulfed the apartments. Ternopil, located roughly 200 kilometres from the Polish border, had been considered relatively safe compared to front-line regions, making the scale of the attack especially shocking for residents who had fled fighting elsewhere.
In total, Russia launched 476 strike and decoy drones along with 48 missiles of various types across Ukraine overnight, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. The barrage included 47 cruise missiles; air defences intercepted all but six. Western-supplied F-16 and Mirage-2000 fighter jets shot down at least 10 of the cruise missiles, the air force added.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded by saying the attack showed international pressure on Russia remained insufficient, insisting that Moscow must be forced toward a negotiated end to the war.
Later the same day, Zelenskyy travelled to Ankara to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as part of efforts to expand diplomatic pressure on the Kremlin. Both leaders affirmed their commitment to seeking a peaceful settlement, with Zelenskyy emphasising Turkey’s unique position as a mediator with influence in Moscow. He also hinted at new signs from Washington regarding the war, as the United States prepares to impose fresh sanctions targeting Russia’s oil sector.
A senior Turkish official initially suggested that US special envoy Steve Witkoff would join the meeting, but later retracted the statement. Meanwhile, in Kyiv, US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll arrived for high-level defence talks, accompanied by Gen. Randy George and Gen. Chris Donahue.
The Russian strikes triggered regional alarm. Romania scrambled two Eurofighter Typhoons and two F-16s after a drone crossed briefly into its airspace. Poland also launched allied aircraft overnight and temporarily shut down the Rzeszów and Lublin airports to prioritise military operations.
Elsewhere, Russian drone attacks in Kharkiv injured 46 people, including two young girls, and damaged residential buildings, a school, an ambulance station and other civilian infrastructure.
Moscow claimed its missile barrage targeted energy sites, defence industries and long-range drone depots, calling the attacks retaliation for Ukrainian strikes inside Russia. It said Ukraine had fired four US-supplied ATACMS missiles at the Russian city of Voronezh; all were reportedly intercepted, though falling debris damaged several civilian structures.
Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed ATACMS launches but provided no further details.
