Poland Scrambles Fighter Jets Amid Russian Strikes on Western Ukraine

Wed Nov 26 2025 15:44:19 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As Russian missile and drone attacks intensify, Poland takes precautionary measures to secure its airspace, deploying fighter jets and readying NATO forces.

Overnight Russian strikes have targeted various locations in western Ukraine, particularly Lviv, prompting Poland to scramble fighter jets to ensure the safety of its airspace. The escalation in attacks, which resulted in casualties and power outages in Ukraine, comes shortly after U.S. discussions regarding support for Ukraine's military actions against Russia. Poland and NATO are reacting swiftly to reinforce defense measures amid these developments.

Russia pounded Ukraine with missile and drone attacks overnight from Saturday into Sunday morning, focusing on the major western city of Lviv.

Ukraine's neighbor Poland scrambled fighter jets in order to ensure the safety of Polish airspace, the Polish military confirmed. Allied NATO aircraft were also deployed.

Lviv's regional head Maksym Kozytskyi stated that two people were killed in strikes in the region, and two more were injured.

Elsewhere, Russia attacked Ukraine's power plants again, targeting Zaporizhzhia, where the mayor reported one death and more than 73,000 people without electricity.

The Russian assaults came days after a U.S. official indicated support for Ukraine targeting operations inside Russia.

Poland's operational command reported that Polish and allied aircraft were operating in their airspace, and ground-based air defense systems were placed on high alert.

Around 05:10 (02:10 GMT), all of Ukraine was under air raid alerts following warnings of missile and drone threats.

Russia has intensified strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Lviv's mayor indicated parts of the city—70 km from Poland—were left without power as air defense systems engaged heavily against the attacks.

As of 07:30 (04:30 GMT), public transportation in Lviv was halted, with the mayor stressing the dangers of being outside during this period.

In Zaporizhzhia, the overnight attack left more than 73,000 consumers... without electricity, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov. One person was killed and nine were injured, including a 16-year-old girl, with images showing damage from the explosions.

At 06:00 (03:00 GMT), Ukraine's Air Force reported threats of fresh Russian missile attacks, reinforcing the urgency of the situation amidst ongoing tensions.

In Russia, air defense units claimed to have destroyed 32 Ukrainian drones overnight, as reported by state-owned news agencies.

Meanwhile, Lithuania briefly closed its airspace due to sightings of unknown objects, following similar incidents in Denmark, Norway, and Germany, leading to suspensions at Vilnius airport.