In response to Russia’s largest drone and missile assault on Ukraine to date, NATO scrambled fighter jets on Wednesday, with Polish forces taking the lead. The attack involved 728 drones—including over 300 Iranian-designed Shahed drones—and 13 missiles, such as Kinzhals and Iskanders, according to officials.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the operation, stating that its forces targeted Ukrainian air bases and claimed that “all the designated targets have been hit.”
Ukraine retaliated with drone strikes of its own overnight, killing three individuals in Russia’s Kursk border region, including a 5-year-old boy, according to the local governor.
Poland, a NATO member, took swift action. Its Armed Forces Operational Command wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Polish fighter jets were scrambled, and the country’s armed forces were placed on the highest level of alert.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack, saying it marked a significant escalation.
“This is a telling attack—and it comes precisely at a time when so many efforts have been made to achieve peace, to establish a ceasefire, and yet only Russia continues to rebuff them all,” Zelenskyy said.
He added that it was a “new massive Russian attack on our cities.”
The strikes concentrated heavily on western Ukraine, including Lviv and Volyn—regions near Poland—raising alarms over potential NATO airspace violations. Cities like Lutsk and Rivne, situated close to the Polish border, were also hit.
In response, Poland’s Operational Command said its aircraft—including F-16s—and those of other NATO allies were deployed, while ground-based air defense and radar systems were brought to their highest state of readiness to ensure the protection of Polish airspace.
Despite the severity of the incident, Polish authorities confirmed that no Russian drones or missiles entered their airspace, and the measures taken were strictly precautionary.