Western Ukraine’s Ternopil faced a night of unparalleled destruction on January 1st, 2025, following a massive Russian aerial bombardment. Authorities confirmed at least 25 deaths and 73 injuries, with three children among those tragically killed. The strikes, commencing shortly after midnight, obliterated entire residential buildings, leaving a scene of devastation.
Emergency responders were immediately deployed to the scene, working through the morning in a desperate search for survivors amidst the rubble and burning structures. The State Emergency Service and National Police deployed 45 specialized units, including robotic systems, to aid in the complex rescue operations. Fires in nine-storey apartment buildings raged for hours before being contained.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, describing it as part of a broader, coordinated offensive involving over 470 attack drones and 48 missiles. He specified the use of cruise missiles launched in waves and at least one ballistic missile. Ternopil, he reported, suffered ‘significant destruction,’ with ongoing efforts to locate individuals trapped under collapsed structures.
Beyond Ternopil, President Zelenskyy detailed the impact on other regions. Kharkiv experienced numerous casualties, including children, and damage to vital infrastructure. Ivano-Frankivsk reported three injuries, two of them children. Attacks also struck Lviv, Donetsk, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Cherkasy, and Dnipro, targeting both civilian areas and energy facilities.
President Zelenskyy urged for immediate international assistance, specifically requesting air-defense missiles, advanced defense systems, fighter jets, and increased drone manufacturing capacity. He also highlighted new security and economic partnerships secured during his recent European tour, totaling over EUR 515 million. Greece pledged winter gas supplies, France committed to 100 Rafale aircraft by 2035 and SAMP/T air defenses, while Spain offered significant financial aid and IRIS-T missiles for air defense and energy sector resilience.