Russia set a record for the largest air assault in the conflict with Ukraine, executing nearly 750 strikes in a single night, prompting NATO to deploy fighters to secure European airspace from potential threats.
Ukraine largely fended off the significant Russian air attacks overnight, with its air force reporting that Moscow launched around 750 drones and missiles at its territory. Rudsk, located in Volin Oblast’s far west, was notably a focal point for many of these strikes.
Local officials remarked, “Last night, there was another extensive assault. Almost everything was aimed at Lutsk.”
According to Ukraine’s military, 728 bomb drones and decoys, seven Iskander missiles, and six Kinzhal missiles were identified. Ukrainian air defense and jet interceptors managed to down 303 of these threats, while an additional 415 were neutralized through alternative methods, including electronic warfare.
Seventeen drones and 16 missiles bypassed Ukraine’s air defenses, as stated by the Air Force. Mayor Rutsk indicated that there were no recorded fatalities early Wednesday, despite strikes hitting four targets, with debris from intercepted drones and missiles landing in 14 different locations.
However, Ukrainian officials reported civilian casualties on Tuesday. In one instance, a one-year-old boy was killed, and a woman was reportedly injured due to a Russian attack in a heavily populated village near the Dnieper front.
As the overnight assaults concentrated on Ukraine’s western cities bordering Western Europe, the likelihood of Russian projectiles or Ukrainian anti-space missiles inadvertently entering NATO airspace raised alarms. In response, the Alliance’s jets were dispatched. Military operations in Warsaw, Poland, deployed “service fighter pairs” and activated ground-based air defense mechanisms.
The Polish army indicated that deploying F-16s aimed to “ensure the security of the area surrounding the threatened zone.” The jets completed a two-hour mission and returned to base without any reported confrontations.
