At least 26 individuals lost their lives, and numerous people were reported missing following a Russian drone and missile assault on residential buildings in Ternopil, a city in western Ukraine, as stated by Ukraine’s interior minister on Wednesday.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko disclosed that 26 individuals remained unaccounted for after the overnight strikes, which included three children. Additionally, almost 100 individuals sustained injuries.
The attack by Russia involved the deployment of 476 drones and 48 missiles targeting energy and transportation infrastructure in Ukraine, resulting in emergency power outages in multiple regions amid freezing temperatures.
The upper sections of a residential building in Ternopil were severely damaged in the assault, with black smoke billowing and an orange glow emanating from a fire in the tower block.
Klymenko, communicating via Telegram, mentioned that rescue teams worked tirelessly through the night, searching the debris of the demolished apartment building. He emphasized the significant task ahead of locating potential survivors trapped under the rubble.
Describing the harrowing scene, Klymenko noted the complete destruction of all apartments in a building with two entrances ravaged by flames. He recounted the immediate outbreak of fires engulfing the structure, leading to panic among residents attempting to escape.
Tragically, authorities confirmed the deaths of three children among the casualties. Oksana Kobel expressed hope for her son’s survival, who was inside a ninth-floor apartment during the attack.
In response to the escalating conflict, Poland, a NATO member neighboring western Ukraine, temporarily shut down Rzeszow and Lublin airports in the southeastern part of the country and mobilized Polish and allied aircraft to safeguard its airspace as a precautionary measure.