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Poland scrambles fighter jets after Russian strikes kill five in western Ukraine
Poland and its NATO allies launched fighter jets early Sunday after Russia carried out one of its most extensive coordinated attacks on Ukraine since the war began, firing more than 50 missiles and 500 drones. The assault killed at least five people and struck dangerously close to NATO’s eastern border.
Poland on high alert as strikes hit near its border
Polish military forces were placed on their highest state of readiness as Russian strikes hit the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, located just 70 kilometers from the Polish border. “Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace, while ground-based air defense and radar systems are at the highest level of alert,” the Polish Operational Command said.
The precautionary deployment included Dutch F-35 stealth fighters currently stationed in Poland as part of NATO’s enhanced air policing mission. The alert lasted about four hours, with officials confirming that no violation of Polish airspace occurred. This marks the latest escalation in a tense month, following incidents on September 9 and 10 when Russian drones entered Polish territory, triggering NATO’s first confirmed military engagement with Russian forces since the invasion began.
Deadly Russian bombardment across Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the overnight assault as a “combined Russian attack” involving Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, Kalibr cruise missiles, and guided aerial bombs targeting nine regions. In Lviv, four people, including a 15-year-old girl, were killed when missiles struck residential buildings in nearby villages. Another person died in Zaporizhzhia, where nine others, including a 16-year-old girl, were injured.
Rising concerns over hybrid warfare tactics in Europe
The Russian strikes coincided with a broader wave of mysterious drone incidents across Europe, which security analysts believe could be part of coordinated hybrid warfare tactics. Munich Airport in Germany was forced to shut down twice within 24 hours after unexplained drone sightings, disrupting travel for more than 9,500 passengers and prompting authorities to call for new legislation allowing police to shoot down unidentified drones.
Similar incidents disrupted operations at airports in Copenhagen, Oslo, and Vilnius, where authorities reported sightings of “balloons.” In Belgium, defense officials reported drone flights over the Elsenborn military base, the first such occurrence in the country.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned Moscow’s tactics, saying Russia was “masking its failed summer offensive through terrorist attacks targeting Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.” The strikes came amid mounting tensions between Washington and Moscow, as Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that any U.S. delivery of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine would lead to “the destruction of our relations.”
The convergence of Russian air raids near NATO borders and unexplained drone activity across European skies has deepened fears that Moscow may be testing Western defenses while blurring the line between direct military confrontation and hybrid warfare strategies.
