KYIV: Ukraine has reported that overnight Russian strikes wounded at least nine people, prompting Poland to scramble fighter jets to secure its airspace.
An air raid alert was activated across the Kyiv region as the local military administration confirmed Russia was attacking with drones and missiles.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the assault on the Ukrainian capital as “massive” and advised residents to remain in shelters for their safety.
“In total, there are five injured,“ Klitschko stated on the Telegram social media platform, confirming that all wounded individuals had been hospitalised.
The governor of the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region separately announced that Russian strikes there had wounded at least four more people.
“Once again, residential buildings and infrastructure are being hit. Once again, it is a war against civilians,“ declared Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s presidential office.
“There will be a response to these actions. But the West’s economic blows against Russia must also be stronger,“ Yermak added.
Poland’s armed forces announced on X that they had scrambled fighter jets and placed ground-based air defence systems on high alert in response to the Russian strikes in Ukraine.
The military described these moves as preventive measures aimed specifically at securing Polish airspace and protecting citizens, particularly in areas adjacent to the Ukrainian border.
Several European nations have recently accused Russia of violating their airspace, with NATO interpreting these incidents as tests of the alliance’s collective resolve.
Russia denied on Saturday any intention to attack NATO countries and issued a warning against the alliance implementing firmer responses to the alleged airspace incursions.
Kyiv and Moscow jointly confirmed on Saturday that the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is Europe’s largest, had been disconnected from the grid for four consecutive days.
This prolonged disconnection has significantly heightened international concerns regarding a potential nuclear incident at the facility. – AFP
