NATO jets scramble as Putin launches massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine
Hundreds of drones and missiles strike Kyiv and western Ukraine; casualties reported; Poland tightens airspace as alliance warns of broader security implications
NATO jets were scrambled after Vladimir Putin launched one of the heaviest drone and missile assaults on Kyiv since the start of the war, as hundreds of drones and missiles hammered the Ukrainian capital and surrounding regions overnight. Officials said roughly 500 drones and 40 missiles were involved, and at least four people were killed, including a 12-year-old girl, with dozens more injured as the attack stretched into the morning hours.
Air defense units in Poland were activated as Russian strikes crossed into western Ukraine, and Polish authorities said airspace near two southeastern cities was temporarily closed as a precaution. They stressed the actions were preventive measures to secure airspace and protect citizens, particularly those near Ukraine, while allied forces monitored the evolving situation.
Ukraine described the assault as a stark demonstration of Moscow's determination to escalate, prompting international condemnation and calls for stronger punishment of Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strike showed that Moscow intends to keep fighting and killing, and he urged the world to apply the harshest possible pressure.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Putin must feel the danger of the war in his own pocket, his associates' wealth, and his regime, implying that personal costs could influence Kremlin calculations.
The overnight barrage damaged facilities around Kyiv, with anti-aircraft fire lighting the night sky and explosions heard across the capital. In Zaporizhzhia, authorities reported at least 16 people injured, and a fire outbreak was reported in a hospital building following the strikes.
Emergency responders and residents sought shelter in metro stations, sleeping on makeshift beds and using the subway as a protective space during the air assault.
At the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that any retaliation against Russia would be met with decisive consequences, adding that Moscow has no intention of attacking European or NATO countries.
Moscow denied that its aircraft entered Estonian airspace, while Belarus said Ukrainian signal-jamming had caused the drones to drift off course.
Poland signaled it would continue to act decisively against any hostile objects over Ukraine and pressed for rapid changes to its own laws to expand military freedom.
As the crisis unfolded, NATO air forces continued patrols and, according to officials, downed several drones over Polish airspace, underscoring the broader security implications of the strikes. Residents watched the crisis unfold with anxiety as leaders called for restraint and readiness.