NATO scrambled warplanes on Ukraine’s border overnight amid huge Russian strikes on multiple cities.
Kyiv was targeted with drones and missiles as Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bombers were reportedly launched to attack the notorious Snake Island in the Black Sea.
Moscow launched a massive strike on Rivne using its Tu-22M3 and Tu-95MS strategic bombers to hit Dubny airbase.
The planes were destroyed last week in Kyiv’s daring Operation Spiderweb.
Another key Ukrainian military airport – Hostomel – was also attacked as Putin sought revenge for the humiliating attack.
Polish armed forces command said Nato fighter jets were patrolling due to “intensive air attack by the Russian Federation on Ukrainian territory”.
A statement said: “The operational commander of the armed forces launched all available forces and resources at his disposal.
“The on-duty fighter pairs were scrambled, and the ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems reached the highest state of readiness.”
These actions were described as “preventive in nature” and carried out “to ensure security and monitor the situation near the borders of the Republic of Poland.”
Russia unleashed lethal air-launched Kinzhal, or Dagger, hypersonic missiles from supersonic MiG-31K fighter jets.
Reports said four Russian Kh-22 missiles from Tu-22M3 missile carriers slammed into strategic Snake Island in the Black Sea.
Drilling rigs were also reported to have been targeted.
The small island gained fame during the early days of the Russian invasion when brave Ukrainian defenders famously told an approaching Russian cruiser to “Go f*** yourself” over the radio.
The island was later won back by Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Kyiv launched its own attack on Russia targeting an electronics company linked to Russia’s missile production.
Dramatic footage showed drones hitting the hi-tech VNIIR-Progress plant in pinpoint strikes.
The plant is crucial to the Russian war effort, and it halted work immediately after the overnight strike.
It manufactures interference-resistant navigation modules used in Russian cruise missiles – including Iskander-M and Kalibr – and drones.
Significant damage was done to the defence-linked production lines.
There was also disruption with multiple Russian airports temporarily halting flights in Tambov, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan.
It comes just two days after Putin claimed he exacted revenge for Ukraine’s stunning Operation Spiderweb blitz following an overnight barrage.
Moscow hammered Kyiv with 407 drones and 44 missiles – unleashing a deadly wave of strikes that killed three and injured dozens.
Ukraine said it shot down about 30 of the cruise missiles and up to 200 of the drones.
Russia’s military claimed that it had bombed military targets in response to what it called Ukrainian “terrorist acts”.
The blitz came just days after Ukraine destroyed a third of Russia’s strategic nuclear bombers in a stunning sabotage strike.
Explosions ripped through the Kyiv skyline, and air defences could be seen firing near the giant Mother Ukraine statue.
Volodymyr Zelensky slammed Putin for the strikes sayin,g “Russia doesn’t change its stripes – another massive strike on cities and ordinary life.
“I thank our warriors for their defence. But unfortunately, not all were intercepted.
“Russia must be held accountable for this.”
Putin has barbarically continued to target innocent civilians – despite claiming he wants peace.
President Donald Trump heaped praise on Zelensky for his calculated drone assault attack – but warned it has only made Vlad crazier.
The Kremlin dictator held a 75 minute phone call with Trump last week as they discussed rising tensions in Ukraine.
The daring Operation Spiderweb saw a fired up Ukraine wreck 41 Russian planes across the strategic airfields.
Putin’s doomsday bomber fleet was crippled with a third of his most prized aircraft lying in smouldering wrecks.
Russia’s ambassador in London pinned some of the blame for the attack on Britain.
Moscow diplomat Andrei Kelin said that Ukrainian attacks “are bringing the conflict to a different level of escalation”.
Russian ambassador to the UK Kelin warned that Kyiv shouldn’t “try to engulf World War Three” in an interview with Sky News.
