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Newsweek
a day ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
NATO Scrambles Fighter Jets After Russia's Largest Air Assault on Ukraine
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. NATO countries scrambled fighter jets early on Sunday, according to the Polish military, after a Ukrainian official said Moscow had launched its largest-scale air attack on the country in more than three years. Poland's Operational Command said its fighter jets, along with other NATO aircraft, were scrambled with ground-based air defenses and reconnaissance systems put on the "highest state of readiness" after Russia launched overnight attacks on Ukrainian territory. Warsaw's military said in a later statement NATO aircraft had finished operations after the "level of threat from missile strikes by Russian aviation on Ukrainian territory" reduced. No Russian missiles or drones entered Polish airspace, the command said. Ukrainian authorities said Russia had launched 477 drones and decoys, as well as 60 missiles of various types, at Ukraine overnight. FILE - An F-16 fighter jet takes part in the NATO Air Shielding exercise near the air base in Lask, central Poland on October 12, 2022. FILE - An F-16 fighter jet takes part in the NATO Air Shielding exercise near the air base in Lask, central Poland on October 12, 2022. RADOSLAW JOZWIAK/AFP via Getty Images The attacks into Sunday were the largest airstrikes on Ukraine of more than three years of full-scale war in the country in terms of number of incoming threats, Colonel Yuriy Ignat, an official with Ukraine's air force, confirmed to Newsweek. Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine have occasionally spilled over into NATO nations like Poland and Romania, which border Ukraine. NATO members are collectively obliged to respond to attacks on alliance nations with full force. Drones and missiles entering NATO airspace have not been treated as attacks on the alliance so far, but Polish authorities have repeatedly scrambled aircraft because of Moscow's aerial attacks on Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities in the western Lviv and Volyn regions, bordering Poland, reported air alerts overnight, but no casualties. Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said overnight "a massive attack on the western regions of Ukraine is underway," targeting critical infrastructure. Updates to follow.
Straits Times
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Ukraine's Zelensky appoints new commander of land forces
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy looks on during the G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis, in Alberta, Canada, June 17, 2025. REUTERS/Amber Bracken/File Photo KYIV - President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday appointed Hennadiy Shapovalov commander of Ukraine's land forces, replacing a commander who resigned over a Russian strike on a training area. Shapovalov, whose appointment was announced in a presidential decree, had previously acted as a liaison at a Nato coordination centre in Germany. Before that, he had served as commander of the forces of the Operational Command "south". Shapovalov takes over as head of land forces from Mykhailo Drapatyi, who tendered his resignation this month after a deadly Russian strike on a training camp in southeastern Ukraine. Zelensky reassigned Drapatyi to the post of commander of joint forces as part of a military shakeup. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nato jets scrambled as Russia launches 'biggest drone bombardment' of Ukraine
Poland scrambled fighter jets early on Monday in response to a wave of Russian airstrikes on western Ukraine. The Operational Command of the Polish armed forces confirmed allied aircraft had been activated to ensure the safety of the country's airspace. "The steps taken are aimed at ensuring security in the regions bordering the areas at risk," the Command said on X. All of Ukraine was under air raid alerts as of 3am BST on Monday after the Ukrainian Air Force warned of Russian missile and drone attacks. Ukraine's air force said 479 Russian drones were launched in the war's biggest overnight drone bombardment. Apart from drones, 20 missiles of various types were fired at different parts of Ukraine, according to the air force, which said the barrage targeted mainly central and western areas of Ukraine. Ukraine's air defences destroyed 277 drones and 19 missiles in mid-flight, an air force statement said, claiming that only 10 drones or missiles hit their target. Officials said one person was injured. It comes as Moscow launched what officials have described as one of the largest assaults on Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, over the weekend — killing four people, injuring nearly 60, and marking a significant escalation in the conflict Kharkiv's Mayor, Ihor Terekhov, said 48 drones — two missiles and four glide bombs — had been used against the city on Friday night, while more glide bombs were reportedly dropped on Saturday. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has urged allies to increase pressure on Moscow and to take "more steps to strengthen Ukraine" in response to Russia's latest attacks. Poland—a Nato member and one of Ukraine's staunchest allies—plays a key role in coordinating and channeling Western military aid to Kyiv. Its heightened alert status underscores the escalating regional security risks as the war enters its third year. On Monday, a Ukrainian drone strike, among the deepest into Russia in more than three years of the war, forced a temporary suspension of production at an electronics company in the Volga river region of Chuvashia, the head of the region said. The strike, some 1,300 km (800 miles) from the border with Ukraine, caused no casualties, Chuvashia Governor Oleg Nikolayev said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app. But "the responsible decision was made to temporarily suspend production to ensure the safety of employees" of the VNIIR enterprise where the drones fell, Nikolayev said. It was not immediately clear whether the drones caused any damage. Nikolayev said that another drone fell onto some fields in the area of the capital of the region, Cheboksary. Ukraine's military said in a Telegram statement on Monday that "at least two drones" hit the VNIIR facility that specialises in manufacturing navigation equipment used in attack drones, guided aerial bombs and high-precision weapons. The Ukrainian military said the drone attack sparked a large-scale fire at the VNIIR plant, although reports could not independently verified. The Russian defence ministry - which reports only how many drones were destroyed not how many Ukraine launched - said on Telegram that its units downed two drones over Chuvashia. In total, it said, air defence systems destroyed 49 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russia. Kyiv has often said that its attacks inside Russia are aimed at destroying infrastructure key to Moscow's war efforts and are in response to the continued Russian strikes on Ukraine.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nato scrambles jets after Russian strikes near Polish border
Poland scrambled fighter jets to secure its airspace on Monday morning after neighbouring western Ukraine was hit by heavy Russian strikes. 'Due to the intensive air attack by the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, Polish and allied aircraft began to operate in Polish airspace in the morning,' Warsaw's Operational Command said in a statement on social media. Russia struck deep beyond the front lines overnight, hitting western Ukraine with dozens of drones and missiles, according to Oleksandr Tretyak, the Rivne mayor. Ukraine said Russia launched 479 drones and 20 missiles, which would be the war's biggest overnight bombardment. Russia has recently accelerated its campaign against Ukraine, dampening hopes of a ceasefire after a renewed diplomatic push to end the biggest conflict in Europe since the Second World War. Poland is one of Ukraine's closest allies, and serves as a crucial logistics hub for Western military aid to Kyiv. In March last year, Poland, a Nato member, reported a breach of its airspace by a Russian cruise missile, demanding an explanation from Moscow. A similar incident occurred in December 2023, when a Russian missile penetrated Polish airspace for several minutes before returning to Ukraine. Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary general, will on Monday call for a 'quantum leap' in defence capacities including a '400 per cent increase' in air and missile defence that 'protects' the alliance against Russia. 'We see in Ukraine how Russia delivers terror from above, so we will strengthen the shield that protects our skies,' he will say in a speech to the Chatham House think tank in London, according to comments released in a statement. Ahead of his speech, Mr Rutte will meet Sir Keir Starmer for their second Downing Street talks since Labour came to power last summer. His comments come ahead of a Nato summit in the Netherlands this month. Donald Trump, the US president, is pressing alliance members to increase their defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP, up from the current target of 2 per cent. Pete Hegseth, the US secretary of defence, said last week in Brussels the allies were close to an agreement on the 5 per cent target, which could be formalised at the summit in The Hague. Nato members have been racing to bolster their defence capabilities since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 'Danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends,' Mr Rutte will say. 'We must have more forces and capabilities to implement our defence plans in full. Our militaries also need thousands more armoured vehicles and tanks, millions more artillery shells. 'Nato has to become a stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance.' Last week, Britain announced plans to build as many as 12 nuclear-powered attack submarines and six munitions factories, to rearm in response to what it said were threats from Russia. Earlier this year, the Government pledged to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, but has not yet set a firm timeline for further increases. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Nato scrambles jets after Russian strikes near Polish border
Poland scrambled fighter jets to secure its airspace on Monday morning after neighbouring western Ukraine was hit by major Russian strikes. 'Due to the intensive air attack by the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, Polish and allied aircraft began to operate in Polish airspace in the morning,' Warsaw's Operational Command said in a statement on social media. Russia struck deep beyond the front lines overnight, hitting western Ukraine with dozens of drones and missiles, according to Oleksandr Tretyak, the Rivne mayor. Ukraine said Russia launched 479 drones and 20 missiles, which would be the war's biggest overnight bombardment. Russia has recently accelerated its campaign against Ukraine, dampening hopes of a ceasefire after a renewed diplomatic push to end the biggest conflict in Europe since the Second World War. Poland is one of Ukraine's closest allies, and serves as a crucial logistics hub for Western military aid to Kyiv. In March last year, Poland, a Nato member, reported a breach of its airspace by a Russian cruise missile, demanding an explanation from Moscow. A similar incident occurred in December 2023, when a Russian missile penetrated Polish airspace for several minutes before returning to Ukraine. Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary general, will on Monday call for a 'quantum leap' in defence capacities including a '400 per cent increase' in air and missile defence that 'protects' the alliance against Russia. 'We see in Ukraine how Russia delivers terror from above, so we will strengthen the shield that protects our skies,' he will say in a speech to the Chatham House think tank in London, according to comments released in a statement.
