Rescue workers in western Ukraine are searching through the mangled wreckage of a residential building in Ternopil after a massive Russian air strike killed at least 26 people and injured nearly 100 others. The attack, part of a wider barrage of 476 drones and 48 missiles launched against Ukraine, has left many residents missing and triggered emergency power cuts across multiple regions.
Devastation in Ternopil
Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko confirmed the grim toll on Wednesday, stating that three children were among the dead. The overnight strike tore away the upper floors of an apartment block, with emergency crews working through the night to find survivors trapped beneath the rubble.
Minister Klymenko described a harrowing scene on Telegram, noting that "flames flared up instantly and engulfed the building in a wave." He added that terrified residents attempted to escape by jumping from windows as the structure was consumed by fire.
Massive Assault on Ukrainian Infrastructure
The assault extended far beyond Ternopil, with Russian forces targeting energy and transport infrastructure across seven Ukrainian regions. The coordinated attack forced authorities to implement emergency power restrictions, leaving many without electricity during frigid winter temperatures.
Witnesses reported explosions in the western city of Lviv, while the north-western city of Kharkiv also came under fire. In the capital Kyiv, residents sought safety in metro stations as the aerial bombardment intensified.
Controversial Peace Proposal Emerges
Amid the violence, reports surfaced of a new US and Russian-drafted peace plan that would require significant concessions from Ukraine. The proposal, reportedly developed by Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev, would force Kyiv to cede territory in eastern Ukraine and substantially reduce the size of its military.
While it remains unclear whether the Trump administration has formally endorsed the plan, the conditions would represent a severe limitation on Ukraine's military and political sovereignty. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously rejected such terms as unacceptable.
President Zelenskyy responded to the attack by urging Western allies to increase pressure on Moscow, stating on X: "Every brazen attack against ordinary life shows that the pressure on Russia is insufficient. Effective sanctions and assistance to Ukraine can change this." His comments came as he travelled to Turkey for talks aimed at reviving peace negotiations.
International Fallout
The attack has sparked international condemnation and responses beyond Ukraine's borders. Poland's Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski described a recent sabotage attack on Poland's rail system as "an act of state terrorism" ordered by Russia, announcing the closure of the last remaining Russian consulate in the country.
In a separate development, Italy's top court approved the transfer to Germany of a Ukrainian man suspected of coordinating the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline. The suspect, identified only as Serhii K, will be handed over to German authorities in the coming days.
The situation remains fluid as rescue operations continue in Ternopil and Ukrainian authorities assess the full extent of the damage from what represents one of the deadliest attacks on western Ukraine since the conflict began 1,366 days ago.
