Poland scrambled fighter jets and helicopters in response to Russian air attacks on Ukraine. According to information from the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, unmanned aerial vehicles are attacking cities in the west of the country – Lutsk, Rivne, and Chernivtsi.
“In connection with a massive attack by the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, carried out using a large number of unmanned aerial vehicles, military aviation has begun operating in our airspace,” the Operational Command of the Armed Forces said after 1:00 p.m.
On-duty fighter jets and helicopters are operating in the airspace, while ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems have reached a higher state of readiness.
Since Wednesday morning, an air raid alert has been in effect across Ukraine due to a large-scale attack by Russian drones heading toward the western part of the country, including the Volyn region near the Polish border. Explosions were heard in Kyiv, where air defense systems were repelling the attack, local authorities reported.
Around noon, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on social media that Russian drones were heading toward cities in western Ukraine – Chernivtsi, Rivne, Lutsk, and Kovel.
Media monitoring Russian attacks reported that more than 210 Russian drones are currently in Ukrainian airspace, mainly targeting the central and western parts of the country.