Poland scrambled fighter jets on Saturday after Russia launched a massive overnight aerial assault on Ukraine, with strikes reported dangerously close to the Polish border.
The attack came just hours after NATO intercepted three Russian MiG-31 jets violating Estonian airspace, raising new fears of escalation across Eastern Europe.
The Polish military confirmed on X that its air defense systems and allied aircraft were placed on maximum readiness.
“Due to the activity of the Russian Federation’s long-range aviation, Polish and allied aviation has begun operating in our airspace,” the statement read.
Duty fighter pairs were scrambled, while radar and ground defenses moved into full alert.
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia deployed 579 drones including dummy decoys alongside eight ballistic missiles and 32 cruise missiles in the overnight attack.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes killed at least three civilians and injured dozens more.
“All night, Ukraine was under massive attack,” Zelensky declared.
“Every such strike is a deliberate strategy by Russia to terrorize civilians and destroy infrastructure.
A strong international response is needed.”
Regional officials later confirmed that at least eight people were killed and 32 others injured in Russian assaults across Ukraine within 24 hours.
Friday’s brazen violation of Estonian airspace marked another flashpoint.
Estonia said three Russian MiG-31s crossed into its territory over the Gulf of Finland without permission, transponders switched off, and no flight plans filed. Estonian authorities described it as “unprecedentedly brazen.”
NATO scrambled Italian F-35s, joined by Swedish and Finnish fighters, to intercept the aircraft.
Russia denied any violation, insisting its jets followed international rules.
Estonia has since invoked Article 4 of NATO’s treaty, requesting urgent consultations among member states.
A high-level meeting is expected next week.
The latest strikes follow earlier Russian drone incursions into both Poland and Romania this month, prompting NATO allies to boost defenses on the alliance’s eastern flank.
NATO fighter jets recently shot down Russian drones over Polish airspace the first direct use of weapons by the alliance since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Moscow’s actions have been widely condemned as “absolutely dangerous.”
Analysts warn that Russia’s escalating tactics aim to test NATO’s resolve and exploit weaknesses in regional defenses.
Meanwhile, peace efforts remain stalled. Zelensky is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly in New York next week to discuss long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.
Trump’s attempt to organize a joint summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin has so far failed.
As Russian assaults intensify and NATO scrambles to contain airspace violations, Europe faces one of its most volatile security moments since the Cold War. The question now is how far Moscow is willing to push and how firmly NATO will respond.
The post Poland Sends Fighter Jets into Air as Russia Bombards Ukraine Near Border first appeared on Diaspora Digital Media DDM.
