NATO Scrambles Jets as Russia Launches Massive Missile Barrage on Ukraine
- Richard Sykes
- Oct 30
- 2 min read
NATO member Poland scrambled fighter jets early Thursday after Russia unleashed a large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure overnight.
Poland’s military reported that fighter jets and an early warning aircraft were deployed in response to the strikes across neighboring Ukraine, triggering the highest alert level for Warsaw’s air defense and radar systems.
Background
Russian attacks on Ukraine frequently prompt nearby NATO countries—particularly Poland—to heighten air defenses to protect their airspace. While Russian drones and missiles have occasionally entered NATO territory, such incidents have not been considered direct attacks on the alliance under Article 5, which obligates members to defend one another.
Last month, about 20 Russian drones crossed into Poland, an incident several European leaders described as a test of NATO’s resolve. In response, multiple alliance members reinforced the eastern flank with additional fighter jets. Moscow denied intentionally targeting Polish territory.
Key Details
Poland described its latest response as “preventative,” saying its forces “remain ready for immediate action.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had launched a “complex, combined strike” involving over 650 drones and more than 50 missiles.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed responsibility for the “massive strike” targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, military airfields, and defense industry facilities, asserting that all intended targets were hit.
Ukraine imposed nationwide electricity restrictions following the attack. The state energy operator Ukrenergo confirmed emergency blackouts across most regions.
Two major energy facilities in the western Lviv region, bordering Poland, were damaged, while another site in Ivano-Frankivsk was struck at dawn.
Ukraine's largest private energy firm, DTEK, reported that its thermal power plants were hit with "a new type of weapon".
In Zaporizhzhia, southeastern Ukraine, two people were killed and 17 injured as Russian missiles and drones damaged five apartment blocks, several homes, and infrastructure sites, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov.
Elsewhere, Russia targeted regions including Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Dnipro, Cherkasy, Poltava, and Vinnytsia. Five civilians were injured in Vinnytsia during overnight strikes, officials said.
Ukraine’s largest private energy firm, DTEK, reported that its thermal power plants were hit with “a new type of weapon”, marking the third large-scale assault on its facilities this month. The company noted that its plants have been attacked over 200 times since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Reactions
Poland’s military stated that its operational commander “activated all available forces and resources” in response to the Russian strikes.
President Zelensky urged emergency crews to prioritize recovery efforts: “All efforts should be made to restore power and water supply as swiftly as possible wherever it’s been disrupted,” he said.
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