Russia launched an overnight strike on Ukraine with missiles and drones, killing at least five people and triggering a military response from neighboring Poland, which scrambled fighter jets to secure its airspace.
The barrage, one of the most intense in weeks, targeted several regions across Ukraine, with the western city of Lviv bearing the brunt of the attack.
Regional governor Maksym Kozytskyi confirmed that four people were killed in Lviv, while one more person died in Zaporizhzhia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia fired more than 50 missiles and around 500 drones in a coordinated offensive aimed at critical infrastructure.
“We need more protection and faster implementation of all defense agreements, especially on air defense, to deprive this aerial terror of any meaning,” Zelenskyy said, calling for renewed international support.
NATO Jets Take to the Skies
Poland’s Operational Command announced that Polish and allied NATO aircraft were deployed overnight to monitor potential threats.
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“Polish and allied aircraft are operating in our airspace, while ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems have been brought to the highest state of readiness,” the command said in a post on X.
The escalation prompted nationwide air raid alerts in Ukraine at around 05:10 a.m. local time (02:10 GMT), with the country’s Air Force warning of incoming missile and drone attacks.
Authorities said Russia’s strikes hit multiple regions, including Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, and Kirovohrad, leaving widespread damage to energy facilities and urban infrastructure.
In Lviv, roughly 70 kilometers (43 miles) from the Polish border, Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said parts of the city were left without power after air defenses intercepted several missiles. “Public transport has not resumed, and it remains dangerous to go out into the streets,” he said, adding that emergency crews were working to restore electricity.
Power Blackouts in Ukraine
In Zaporizhzhia, regional governor Ivan Fedorov reported that a power plant was struck, leaving more than 73,000 residents without electricity. One person was killed and nine others injured, including a 16-year-old girl. Images shared online showed a scorched apartment block and a burnt-out car amid rubble.
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The attacks come just days after Trump indicated that Washington would support Ukraine in launching “deep strikes” inside Russian territory, a move that could further inflame tensions.
Russia has not issued any official statement regarding the latest strikes.
As Kyiv’s allies reaffirm their commitment to bolstering Ukraine’s defenses, Zelenskyy reiterated that “a unilateral ceasefire in the skies” could pave the way for “real diplomacy,” though Russia’s recent escalation signals little interest in de-escalation.
The renewed wave of attacks shows Moscow’s ongoing campaign against Ukraine’s energy grid, reigniting fears of another season of blackouts and humanitarian strain.
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