Russian Missile and Drone Attack on Ternopil Claims 25 Lives

A Russian missile and drone attack on the city of Ternopil in western Ukraine has resulted in the deaths of at least 25 individuals, including three children, according to Ukrainian officials. The assault occurred early on Wednesday morning and has been described as one of the most lethal strikes in the area since Russia initiated its large-scale invasion in February 2022.

Local authorities reported that an additional 73 people sustained injuries, with 15 of those being children. Ukraine's air force stated that Russian X-101 cruise missiles targeted residential buildings, specifically two blocks of flats.

The attack did not only affect Ternopil; surrounding regions such as Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk also experienced strikes, while a drone assault on Kharkiv led to injuries for more than 30 people. Footage shared on social media depicted flames engulfing both buildings and vehicles in the aftermath of the attack.

In a statement, Ukraine's air force indicated that they had successfully intercepted 442 out of 476 drones and 41 of 48 missiles launched by Russian forces, including ten missiles taken down by F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets provided by Western allies.

However, the air force acknowledged the strain on Ukraine's defence capabilities, urging for the continuous and timely provision of aviation weaponry from its Western partners.

Ternopil, situated closer to the Polish border than to the capital, Kyiv, has seen few attacks since the onset of the full-scale invasion. Videos from the incident showed missiles streaking across the sky, with limited response visible from ground-based air defences.

The extent of the destruction became apparent soon after the strike. A video shared by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky depicted one of the residential blocks as having entirely collapsed, with Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reporting that the building had been devastated from the third to the ninth floors.

Zelensky characterised the strike as causing “significant destruction,” with many victims trapped under rubble. Plumes of smoke rose from windows as fires blazed outside the apartment complex.

Sirens echoed throughout Ternopil, and a large cloud of smoke could be seen behind the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Despite the effectiveness of Ukraine's air defence systems, the vastness of the country poses a challenge, with the risk of missiles breaching defences remaining a constant threat. The recent attack on Ternopil exemplifies the potential devastation when such breaches occur.

In addition to the casualties in Ternopil, energy and civil infrastructure were also targeted in other parts of western Ukraine. In the Ivano-Frankivsk region, two of the reported three wounded were children due to attacks on energy facilities, while officials in Lviv confirmed strikes on critical energy infrastructure.

As winter approaches, Russia has intensified its assaults on Ukraine's energy grid, aiming to undermine morale and disrupt logistics as well as Ukraine's defence industry. Following the latest strikes, the Ukrainian energy ministry announced further power cuts across the nation, as electricity supplies are already being rationed.

The Russian defence ministry claimed responsibility for what they termed a “massive strike using long-range precision weapons,” asserting that they were targeting Ukraine’s military and energy sectors in retaliation for Ukrainian attacks on civilian sites.

On a related note, Ukraine’s military disclosed that they had employed US-supplied longer-range Atacms missiles against military targets within Russia, marking the first acknowledgment of such actions on Russian soil.

In response, the Russian defence ministry accused Ukraine of firing four Atacms missiles at Voronezh, a southern city, claiming all were intercepted by air defences.

President Zelensky has also made a diplomatic visit to Ankara, Turkey, in an effort to advance discussions on a potential resolution to the ongoing conflict. He met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, amidst reports of a US-led initiative to facilitate peace negotiations, although the Kremlin indicated no Russian representatives would participate in the talks.

Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, remarked that there was no new information regarding this matter, reiterating Russia's stance on previously stated preconditions for peace, which include restrictions on Ukraine's military capabilities and a demand for neutrality.

As the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion approaches in February, both Moscow and Kyiv remain at an impasse regarding the resolution of the conflict, with Ukraine and its Western allies calling for an immediate ceasefire, a request repeatedly dismissed by Russia, which continues to demand conditions that Ukraine considers tantamount to capitulation.