Russia launched a major missile-and-drone attack on Ukraine, reportedly using hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles that struck cities and energy infrastructure, leaving at least 10 people dead and many regions without power. NATO scrambled jets over Poland and Romania after a Russian drone crossed into Romanian airspace. The strikes coincided with diplomatic moves — President Zelensky's visit to Turkey — and recent Western support measures, including a potential $105 million Patriot upgrade and an agreement to buy French Rafale fighters.
NATO Scrambles Jets Over Poland and Romania After Large Russian Missile and Drone Assault on Ukraine
A large-scale Russian aerial assault on Ukraine on Wednesday — combining ballistic and cruise missiles with hundreds of drones — caused significant damage, power outages and civilian casualties. Ukrainian authorities say at least 10 people have died in the strikes, including nine killed when residential buildings were hit in the western city of Ternopil.
Ukrainian and international assessments put the scale of the attack at roughly 470 drones and 48 missiles, with heavy damage reported in western regions near Poland and Romania as well as strikes in eastern cities such as Kharkiv. Attacks on electrical infrastructure left many areas temporarily without power.
Moscow’s Defense Ministry said it intercepted four US-made ATACMS long-range missiles "deep within" Russian territory, over Voronezh about 200 km (124 miles) from the Ukrainian border — a claim Ukraine has said it launched. The ATACMS system has an estimated range of up to 300 km (186 miles); Russia has previously described their deployment as a significant escalation.
As the barrage unfolded, NATO and national air defenses reacted. Romania reported that a Russian drone crossed into its airspace over the eastern Tulcea region and scrambled two NATO Eurofighter jets, followed by two Romanian F-16s. Poland’s operational command also launched Allied fighters to protect Polish airspace.
Poland temporarily closed its eastern airports in Rzeszow and Lublin to ensure freedom of operations for military aviation; both were later reopened. Polish authorities have also been investigating a recent sabotage incident on a key railway line, which Warsaw linked to foreign services — an allegation Moscow denies.
The strikes came as President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Turkey to pursue renewed talks on ceasefires and prisoner exchanges, and as the US State Department approved a potential $105 million sale to help upgrade Ukraine’s Patriot air-defence systems. Earlier in the week, Ukraine reached an agreement to purchase up to 100 French-made Rafale fighter jets, along with additional air-defence systems and drones.
NATO allies have increasingly scrambled jets in recent months when Russian munitions, drones or aircraft have strayed close to or into alliance airspace — a trend that has raised tensions and underscored the risks of wider escalation.
The human toll and damage from the strikes add urgency to diplomatic and military efforts to shore up Ukraine’s defenses and protect civilians. Independent verification of some claims, including the reported downing of ATACMS inside Russia, remains limited and contested by the parties involved.
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