KYIV, Ukraine — A significant Russian drone and missile attack struck the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil, resulting in the deaths of 19 individuals and injuring at least 66 others, including 16 children, emergency services reported on Wednesday. The assault occurred overnight, targeting two nine-story apartment buildings in Ternopil, which is situated approximately 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the Polish border. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko stated that emergency crews were working through the rubble in search of survivors.

The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia launched a total of 476 strike and decoy drones, along with 48 missiles, during the nighttime bombardment. Among these, 47 were cruise missiles, with air defenses intercepting all but six. Western-supplied F-16 and Mirage-2000 jets successfully intercepted at least 10 of the cruise missiles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was in Turkey for high-level discussions with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, condemned the attack. He expressed on the messaging app Telegram, "Every brazen attack against ordinary life indicates that the pressure on Russia (to stop the war) is insufficient." Zelenskyy aimed to gather diplomatic support against Russia's ongoing invasion and to discuss strategies for achieving a just peace for Ukraine.

During his meeting with Erdogan, Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of maximizing capabilities to ensure Ukraine's security. He noted, "We see some positions and signals from the United States, well, let’s see tomorrow," referring to impending new American sanctions on Russia's oil industry set to take effect on Friday.

In addition to the casualties in Ternopil, nearly 50 people were reported injured in Russian strikes across three other Ukrainian regions. The Ukrainian city of Ternopil has been a refuge for many displaced individuals from eastern and southern Ukraine, seeking safety from the conflict.

In response to the drone threat, Romania scrambled two Eurofighter Typhoon jets and two F-16s when a drone entered its airspace. The Polish military also deployed aircraft as a precautionary measure, temporarily closing Rzeszów and Lublin airports to prioritize military operations.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, drone strikes injured 46 people, including two girls. The head of the regional military administration, Oleh Syniehubov, reported that drones targeted multiple districts, damaging residential buildings, an ambulance station, a school, and other civilian infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that Ukraine fired four American-supplied ATACMS missiles at the Russian city of Voronezh on Tuesday. All four missiles were intercepted, but debris from the interception caused damage to a private house, an orphanage, and a gerontology center, with no reported casualties.

As the conflict continues, both sides remain engaged in military actions, with diplomatic efforts ongoing to address the situation.