NATO fighter jets were scrambled over Poland early Monday in response to a massive Russian aerial assault on Ukraine, marking one of the most intense cross-border alert operations in recent months. The action came as Russia launched an unprecedented barrage of 479 drones and missiles across Ukraine, including rare strikes in the relatively unscathed western region.
The Polish Armed Forces confirmed that both Polish and NATO-allied aircraft took to the skies in a defensive maneuver. “Due to the intensive air attack by the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine, Polish and [NATO] allied aircraft began to operate in Polish airspace in the morning,” the military said in a statement.
Poland, a NATO member since 1999, did not disclose which other alliance members contributed aircraft to the mission. While no missiles reportedly entered Polish airspace during the current strike, Russian projectiles have previously violated Poland’s airspace at least twice since the beginning of the full-scale war in 2022, heightening tensions in the region.
The latest wave of attacks underscores Russia’s growing use of drone warfare, as Ukraine reported the overnight launch of nearly 500 drones—its highest figure since the war began. Oleksandr Tretyak, mayor of the western city of Rivne, said it was the largest strike on the region since the start of the invasion. Explosions were also reported in Lviv, another major city near the Polish border.
Though early reports suggested there were no deaths or significant damage to civilian infrastructure, Ukraine’s air force spokesman Yuriy Ignat confirmed a “massive” drone and missile strike on an operational Ukrainian airfield. He did not specify which facility was hit or the extent of the damage.
Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed it had retaliated by striking deep into Russian territory. The Ukrainian General Staff announced that it had hit multiple warplanes at the Savasleyka airfield in the Nizhny Novgorod region, roughly 200 miles from Moscow. The targeted aircraft reportedly included a MiG-31 and either a Su-30 or Su-34 jet. The extent of the damage is still being assessed.
The aerial tit-for-tat follows a string of audacious Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian airfields, including a significant strike last week that damaged a number of strategic bombers. A Western diplomat told Reuters that the Kremlin was preparing a “huge, vicious and unrelenting” response, dubbed internally as retaliation for the so-called “Spiderweb” operation.
According to Ukrainian military intelligence, Russia is accelerating drone production and infrastructure to support long-range bombardments. A Kyiv-based official told the Kyiv Independent that Moscow will soon be capable of launching over 500 drones per night as it ramps up manufacturing and builds new launch sites.
The military escalation coincides with a chilling geopolitical message from U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested Washington might let Russia and Ukraine “fight for a while” before intervening diplomatically, casting a shadow over any near-term hopes for peace.
As the war drags into its third year, both sides appear to be intensifying aerial warfare, with civilian populations increasingly caught in the crossfire and NATO countries on high alert for potential spillover.
