NATO warplanes scrambled as Putin unleashes most destructive attack since war began

NATO was forced to scramble fighter jets today as Russialaunched its most intense strikes of the war on Western Ukraine.

Estimates suggested between 20 and 30 missiles and 700 drones were fired overnight, killing two civilians and wounding 18 in Chernivtsi, near the Romanian border. Thick smoke clung to the city after the assault. Putinused his nuclear-capable Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers to hammer Ukraine in what was already the most intense week of the war for kamikaze drone strikes. Major cities, including Lviv and Lutsk as well as Chernivtsi, were targetted in the fresh attacks.

“Due to the activity of long-range Russian aviation striking targets located in western Ukraine, among other places, Polish and allied air forces have commenced operations in Polish airspace,” reported the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces. It did not make clear which other NATO states were involved in the latest operation triggered by the Russian onslaught.

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“Scrambled pairs of fighter jets were deployed, and ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have been brought to the highest state of combat readiness,” said the statement.

The Polish armed forces “activated available forces and resources” in measures “aimed at ensuring security in areas bordering the threatened areas”. The last time such action was taken was Wednesday, as Putin intensified his strikes on Ukraine, believing he now has the upper hand in the war.

The Russian strikes came as the US is resuming significant military assistance for Ukraine, and ahead of an expected major Donald Trump statement on Monday which may involve sanctions against the Putin regime. In Lviv, the Russians hit residential buildings and a kindergarten.

“Explosions occurred in several districts of the city,” said mayor Andriy Sadovyi. Head of the regional military administration, Maksym Kozytskyi, called it a “massive drone attack”. The main building of the Electron corporation - a maker of trams and buses - was hit. Russian reports claimed the Yavoriv military training ground in Lviv region was targeted.

In Lutsk, homes were damaged in the blitzkrieg. In Chernivtsi, the dead were a woman aged 26 and a man aged 43. Reports of two more hospital deaths were not confirmed. At least 14 were wounded in the region.

“Several residential buildings, shops, administrative buildings and cars were damaged,” said head of the regional military administration, Ruslan Zaparanyuk. In Kharkiv, bombs and drones hit the city. A distraught woman was seen weeping over her dog killed by a Russian strike.

“The main blow was taken by an enterprise that has not been operating for several years,” said military administration chief Oleh Syniehubov.

Earlier in Odesa, a military enlistment office was bombed no less than six times by Russian drones.