Ternopil Mourns: Mother & Daughter Perish in Devastating Russian Missile Attack
A somber silence fell over western Ukraine on November 22 as relatives and residents gathered in Ternopil to bid a heartbreaking farewell to Oksana Bylo and her seven-year-old daughter, Amelia. The mother and child were among 33 civilians tragically killed in a devastating Russian missile strike on November 19, an attack that decimated residential buildings and left a community reeling.
The fatal assault, which also wounded 90 people including numerous children, stands out as one of the deadliest strikes in Ukraine this year, and notably, one of the most severe ever recorded in the country's western regions, which are generally considered further from the front lines. The intensity of the attack highlights the pervasive threat civilian populations face across Ukraine.
A Mother's Last Call for Help
During the emotionally charged funeral service, mourners laid flowers before the coffins of Oksana and Amelia, a poignant gesture of remembrance and grief. Oksana's mother, Galina, 65, shared an "indescribable" account of her daughter's final moments. She recounted a desperate phone call at 6:30 AM, where Oksana checked on her parents' safety, expressing alarm at the barrage of rockets. Galina urged her daughter to gather Amelia, essential documents, and evacuate their home.
Tragically, Oksana's home was directly hit by the strike, which tore through the upper floors of several residential structures. Galina vividly recalled her daughter's agonizing plea for help: "Mom, Dad, help us, we’re burning, help us, help us!" Despite her husband's desperate rush to the scene, he arrived to find their home engulfed in flames. "They burned to death together. What a horrible death," Galina lamented, encapsulating the profound horror and loss experienced by the family.
Devastating Civilian Toll
The grim toll from the November 19 attack, confirmed by emergency services, underscores the profound human cost of the ongoing conflict. This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the indiscriminate nature of war and the immense suffering inflicted upon innocent lives.