HAMILTON, Canada

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday "strongly" condemned Russia's latest wave of missile and drone strikes on Ukraine, which Kyiv said killed at least 25 people and injured many others.

"I can tell you that the secretary-general strongly condemns the latest overnight missile and drone attacks by the Russian Federation on several Ukrainian regions that reportedly killed at least 25 people, including children, and injured several dozen others in two residential areas," Guterres' spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a news conference.

Stressing that "attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law," Dujarric said such attacks are "unacceptable wherever they occur, and they must end immediately."

Describing the overnight attack as "one of the deadliest against civilians" since the start of the war nearly four years ago, Dujarric said it emphasizes the need for a ceasefire.

The attack "underlines the urgency of a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as a first step towards a just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace that fully upholds Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions," he added.​​​​​​​

At least 25 people, including three children, were killed and 73 others injured after a Russian strike hit residential buildings in the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil on Wednesday morning, Ukrainian authorities said, marking one of the deadliest attacks in recent months.