By Harshit
KYIV, NOVEMBER 19, 2025 —
Russia has unleashed one of its deadliest attacks on western Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, killing at least 16 people and injuring dozens more in a sweeping overnight assault across multiple regions. The western city of Ternopil was hit hardest, where two residential blocks collapsed after Russian drones and missiles rained down shortly after midnight, Ukrainian authorities said.
Police confirmed 64 wounded, including 14 children, as rescue teams continued digging through the rubble amid fears that many remain trapped.
Russian Strike Levels Residential Blocks in Ternopil
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia fired more than 470 drones and 47 missiles in a coordinated attack that caused “significant destruction” across the country.
A video released by Zelensky showed an entire section of a multi-story apartment building sheared away, exposing homes, furniture, and stairways hanging over a mountain of debris.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said one of the towers had collapsed from the third to the ninth floor, leaving a smoking crater where dozens of families had lived.
Sirens wailed through the devastated city as a massive smoke cloud rose behind the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, while firefighters battled flames among twisted cars and shattered glass.
Western Regions Hit: Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Kharkiv Targeted
The overnight assault was not limited to Ternopil. Russia also struck:
- Lviv region, where an energy facility was hit
- Ivano-Frankivsk, where two of three wounded victims were children
- Kharkiv, where drones slammed into three districts, injuring over 30 people
Images posted online showed blazing buildings and mangled vehicles across multiple cities. The strikes damaged energy infrastructure, transport hubs, and civilian facilities, prompting rolling power cuts in several regions, Ukraine’s energy ministry said.
Attack Follows Ukraine’s Use of Long-Range ATACMS
The deadly assault came just a day after Ukraine publicly confirmed, for the first time, that it used US-supplied long-range ATACMS missiles against military targets inside Russia.
Moscow accused Kyiv of firing four ATACMS missiles at Voronezh, saying they were intercepted.
The escalation underscores the increasing intensity of the conflict as both sides prepare for a difficult winter phase of the war.
Zelensky Heads to Ankara as US Envoy Quietly Works on Possible Peace Track
The attack comes as President Zelensky departs for Ankara, where he is expected to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The visit follows reports that Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has been exploring potential peace frameworks with Russian sovereign wealth fund chief Kirill Dmitriev.
The Kremlin denied any involvement in the Ankara talks. “We have nothing new to inform you,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.
Meanwhile, Reuters reports that two of the most senior US Army leaders under the Trump administration — Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Army Chief of Staff General Randy George — are expected in Kyiv on Thursday.
Russian Drone Violates NATO Airspace, Romania Scrambles Jets
In a separate development, Romania’s defence ministry said a Russian drone had entered 8 km into Romanian airspace, also crossing Ukraine and Moldova before returning.
Romanian and German jets were scrambled, and Poland briefly closed two southeastern airports as a precaution after Russian strikes moved dangerously close to NATO borders.
War Nears Fourth Anniversary With No Path to Peace
As the war approaches its fourth year, Ukraine and Russia remain deeply divided on conditions for ending hostilities. Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated that Moscow’s demands remain unchanged from those laid out by President Vladimir Putin in 2024 — terms Kyiv has categorically rejected.
Despite a fragile ceasefire line in parts of southern Ukraine, Russia continues near-daily bombardments of cities far from the front lines — a reality underscored by Wednesday’s devastating strikes.