NATO fighter jets were scrambled in the airspace of Poland and Romania amid a massive and deadly strike launched by Russia using ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as hundreds of drones across Ukraine, which continued on Wednesday. Romania’s Ministry of Defence stated that a Russian drone entered its airspace during the attack. This followed Russia’s claim yesterday that it shot down four US-made, long-range ATACMS missiles “deep within its territory,” which Ukraine claimed it had launched. According to Moscow’s Defence Ministry, the missiles were intercepted over the city of Voronezh, approximately 200 kilometres (124 miles) from the Ukrainian border. The use of these missiles, which have a range of up to 300 kilometres (186 miles), was first authorised under the Biden presidency and its use had previously been considered a serious escalation by Russia. Russia’s strike on Wednesday—which involved 470 drones and 48 missiles—was focused primarily on western regions of Ukraine bordering Romania and Poland. Nine people were killed in the strikes on residential buildings in the city of Ternopil, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported. Dozens were also injured in the eastern city of Kharkiv, where drone strikes damaged apartment buildings and left several cars burning in the streets. Many regions of Ukraine were left without electricity on Wednesday following strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure facilities. Romania’s Ministry of Defence reported scrambling two Eurofighter jets belonging to NATO forces, followed by two Romanian F-16 fighter jets, after detecting a Russian drone crossing the border in the eastern Tulcea region. Polish and allied fighter jets were also scrambled into the sky on Wednesday morning to defend Poland’s airspace, the country’s operational command reported. The airports in Rzeszów and Lublin in eastern Poland were also closed “due to the need to ensure freedom of action for military aviation,” the Polish air navigation service PANSA stated on X. They were later reopened. This latest NATO move comes amid a tense week. Polish officials blamed Russia after a key railway line was destroyed in what Warsaw called an “unprecedented act of sabotage” carried out by two Ukrainian citizens “cooperating with Russian services.” Russian officials deny these accusations. Moscow’s latest aerial attack occurred hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Turkey for a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as he tries to “revive” peace talks and prisoner exchanges with Russia. Moscow is not part of these talks, but Turkey acts as a key mediator between the two sides. Late Tuesday, the US State Department approved a potential $105 million sale that would allow Ukraine to modernise its Patriot air defence system—a crucial shield against Russian aerial attacks. “The proposed sale will enhance Ukraine’s ability to respond to current and future threats by further equipping it to conduct self-defence and regional security missions with a more capable in-country sustainment ability,” a Pentagon statement said. Earlier this week, Zelenskyy secured a deal to purchase “up to 100” French-made Rafale fighter jets, as well as air defence systems and drones from France during a visit to Paris. In recent months, NATO allies have increasingly scrambled fighter jets during Russian attacks on Ukraine or when stray Russian ordnance, drones, and military aircraft come too close or cross their borders. Poland is also at a peak of tension due to Russia’s war against Ukraine. In September, fighter jets shot down several Russian drones that breached Polish airspace during an attack on neighbouring Ukraine, with the military alliance condemning Moscow’s “absolutely dangerous” behaviour that raised tensions to a new level. This operation marked the first instance of NATO opening fire since the war in Ukraine began.
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