In the wake of a massive Russian missile barrage targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, NATO allies have ramped up their vigilance, with aircraft from Poland’s air force and other member states being scrambled.
Poland’s RSZ Operational Command announced an increased operational state of its aircraft on Friday night, cautioning residents of heightened noise levels in the southeastern region of the country. This statement followed a series of Russian attacks across Ukrainian territories, particularly in the Dnipropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Lviv regions. The Ukrainian air force claimed to have intercepted 21 out of 24 missiles aimed at their energy facilities.
The Polish military, through its communications on X, formerly Twitter, stated, “Activity of the Russian Federation is being observed in connection with missile strikes carried out against objects located in the territory of Ukraine.” It further assured that “All necessary procedures to ensure the safety of our airspace have been initiated.”
There was no claim that any Russian missile strayed into Polish airspace. NATO member Poland has said Russia would turn its attention to members of the alliance following Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Other Western leaders have also warned of this, although this has been rejected by Putin.
Despite these tensions, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski expressed confidence in NATO’s capabilities, asserting that any war between Russia and NATO would culminate in Moscow’s “inevitable defeat.”
The most recent Russian strikes inflicted severe damage on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, with the nation’s largest private energy company, DTEK, reporting serious harm to four of its thermal power plants. Destroying thermal power plants across the country, including the Trypillia plant, the main electricity supplier to the Kyiv, Zhytomyr and Cherkasy regions.
Some of Friday night’s attacks took place hundreds of miles from the front line. In Lviv Oblast, Russian cruise and hypersonic missiles hit two energy facilities near Stryi and Chervonohrad, according to regional governor Maksym Kozytskyi, while the head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast said an energy facility was targeted in a strike.
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– NATO Aircraft Activated After Waves of Russian Strikes, Newsweek, 04/28/2024
– Ukraine-Russia war latest: ‘Putin did not order Navalny death,’ – US report; Another arrest over Moscow concert hall attack, Sky News, Sat, 27 Apr 2024 16:20:40 GMT
– Russian Propaganda Predicts Big ATACMS Attacks the Kremlin Probably Can’t Stop, Kyiv Post, Thu, 25 Apr 2024 15:00:48 GMT
– NATO: Russian Nuclear Strike Would Almost Certainly Draw ‘Physical Response’, Asharq Al-awsat – English, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 04:20:20 GMT
– Ukraine-Russia war latest: ‘Putin did not order Navalny death,’ – US report; Another arrest over Moscow concert hall attack, Sky News, Sat, 27 Apr 2024 12:40:24 GMT