Ukraine: At Least 20 Killed in Ternopil After Russian Strike Destroys Residential Tower Amid Mass Attacks (UPDATED)

Update: A major Russian strike on 19 November left Ternopil and several other Ukrainian regions reeling, with at least 20 people killed, including two children, and 66 injured as rescue teams worked through multiple impact sites. Two residential buildings in Ternopil were heavily damaged, one suffering destruction across its upper floors, while a second location was engulfed by fire. The attack came as part of a wider overnight barrage involving 476 drones and 48 missiles, many of which were intercepted, though strikes and falling debris still caused extensive damage in Kharkiv, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Khmelnytskyi, hitting homes, infrastructure and energy facilities. Power outages were reported as temperatures fell, and authorities in Ternopil warned of severely polluted air. Neighboring Poland and Romania scrambled fighter jets as the assault unfolded. The scale of destruction prompted EU Ambassador Katarína Mathernová to describe the situation in Ternopil as “real hell,” underscoring Ukraine’s continued vulnerability to Russia’s ongoing attacks.

Earlier information: A high-rise residential building in Ternopil was destroyed after a Russian strike during the night and early morning of 18–19 November, leaving two people dead. The incident was first reported by Suspilne, which published images showing flames and heavy structural damage. Shortly after 08:00, the Ternopil Oblast Military Administration confirmed that residential buildings had been hit and said emergency service crews and medics were working on site.

Later in the morning, Suspilne reported that two fatalities had been confirmed. The attack occurred amid another large-scale Russian strike using both drones and missiles. Explosions were also reported in Khmelnytskyi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Rivne, Lviv and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts.

The wave of strikes prompted emergency power outages across Ukraine, with the Energy Ministry announcing that energy infrastructure had once again been targeted. In Lviv, a significant fire broke out, with local officials sharing images of thick smoke rising over the city at dawn. According to Mayor Andrii Sadovyi, a warehouse containing tyres was struck, though no casualties were reported there.

In Ternopil, photos circulating online showed entire sections of a high-rise building reduced to rubble, with multiple floors destroyed. Local authorities initially had no information on casualties, but later confirmed the deaths.

Poland’s armed forces stated that their fighter jets had been scrambled in response to the Russian missile activity near Ukrainian airspace. The latest strikes continue a pattern of intensified Russian attacks on urban centers and energy facilities as winter approaches.