Deadly Russian missile strikes hit Ukraine as Poland scrambles fighter jets
Fresh Russian missile strikes have killed civilians across Ukraine and prompted neighbouring Poland to scramble fighter jets, underscoring the urgent strain on European air defence capabilities.
Russian missile strikes killed at least six people in central Ukraine and one in Kyiv, following an explicit warning from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of an impending massive attack. The assaults targeted multiple regions, prompting neighbouring Poland to place its air defences on high alert.
In central Ukraine, an Iskander-M ballistic missile launched from Voronezh struck a private home in a village near Kryvyi Rih. Oleksandr Vilkul, the local military administration head, confirmed the deaths of two girls, aged five and 12, and four adults, adding that eight others were wounded.
The capital city also sustained casualties, with the Kyiv military administration confirming at least one death. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported fires across several districts and urged residents to remain in shelters as ballistic weapons threatened the area. Residential buildings in the western city of Lviv were similarly damaged, according to Mayor Andriy Sadovyi.
President Zelenskyy had cautioned the public late Wednesday that Moscow had been preparing the offensive for several days. He used the aftermath to reiterate his appeal to European allies, stressing that the protection of people's lives depends directly on their willingness to provide air defence missiles.
The proximity of the conflict continues to test regional security protocols. As the attacks unfolded, the Polish armed forces scrambled fighter jets and an early warning aircraft to protect its airspace, while ground-based air defence and radar systems reached full readiness.
Meanwhile, the conflict’s footprint expanded inside Russia with a strike on commercial infrastructure. A Ukrainian drone attack ignited a fire at a warehouse belonging to the online retailer Wildberries in the western city of Penza. Regional governor Oleg Melnichenko reported one injury and the evacuation of approximately 200 people from the site.
These coordinated strikes highlight the persistent vulnerability of civilian and commercial infrastructure on both sides of the border. For European policymakers and markets, the escalating toll and disruption to major retail operations reinforce the strategic imperative of sustaining defence supply chains to prevent further economic and security destabilisation along the continent’s eastern flank.
