NATO fighter jets were scrambled and air defense systems placed on high alert in Poland following Russia’s overnight drone and missile strikes targeting Ukraine, reports Baltimore Chronicle, with reference to official statements from Warsaw. The Armed Forces Operational Command announced on social media that fighter jets, ground-based air defenses, and radar reconnaissance systems had been put into a state of readiness as a precautionary measure to secure Polish airspace, particularly in areas near threatened regions.
The alert lasted for nearly four hours before the command confirmed that the fighter jets and air defense systems had returned to standard operations. Officials reported that no incursions into Polish airspace were detected during the alert period.
Polish authorities indicated that the Spanish and Czech air forces participated in the response, along with German and Dutch air defense systems. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 653 drones and 51 missiles overnight, including 17 ballistic missiles, while Ukrainian forces managed to intercept or neutralize 585 drones and 30 missiles. The attacks affected 29 locations across Ukraine.
According to Ukrainian air force data, the total of 704 aerial attack weapons used in this overnight strike represents Russia’s largest such operation since October 29, when 705 munitions were launched. The largest single-night assault of the war occurred on September 6, involving 823 aerial attack vehicles. The current attack marks only the fourth night of Russia’s full-scale invasion in which over 700 aerial weapons were deployed.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Iho Klymenko reported that ten regions were targeted, including direct hits to residential buildings, railways, and energy infrastructure. Dozens of homes in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, and Lviv were damaged. At least three people were injured in Kyiv, three in Dnipropetrovsk, and two in Lviv.
In the Black Sea port city of Odesa, Governor Oleh Kiper stated that an energy facility was damaged, disrupting power and heating services, leaving around 9,500 residents without heating and 34,000 without water as of 9:30 a.m. local time. Additional damage to energy infrastructure was reported in Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, and Dnipropetrovsk. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) noted that Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant temporarily lost all off-site power during the strikes, reiterating a call for military restraint to prevent a nuclear accident.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko convened an emergency coordination meeting with internal affairs and energy ministers, along with the leadership of state energy companies and recovery services, to assess and respond to the attacks. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha emphasized that Russia continues to target critical civilian infrastructure, demonstrating that efforts to strengthen Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia cannot be delayed. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that energy facilities were the main targets of the strikes, stressing the need for continued sanctions and support for Ukraine’s air defense systems.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that its forces had downed at least 121 drones overnight.
Earlier we wrote that White House expresses optimism ahead of Witkoff and Kushner talks with Putin in Moscow.
