Thick smoke billowed into the sky as firefighters battled fiercely to extinguish the flames, while anxious residents gathered outside, yearning for updates on their missing family members.

In response to the growing crisis, NATO member Poland, which shares a border with western Ukraine, took decisive action by temporarily closing the Rzeszow and Lublin airports located in the country’s southeastern region. As a precautionary measure to protect its airspace, Polish and allied aircraft were promptly mobilized.

The assault on Ternopil coincided with a significant diplomatic moment, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepared for discussions in Türkiye.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed profound concern over the increasing number of civilian casualties resulting from Russia’s attacks on Ternopil, stating he was “appalled” by the situation.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk said he was “appalled” by the number of civilian casualties in Russia’s strikes on Ternopil.

“The horror of powerful long-range missiles combined with waves of drones increasingly being used by Russian forces was again painfully laid bare in Ukraine this morning,” Turk said in a statement.

More pressure on Russia

Ukraine will “bring Russia’s horrific murder … to the spotlight of tomorrow’s UN Security Council meeting”, foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said.