Russia Violates Polish Airspace As It Attacks Ukraine; Russian Ships Also Hit
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
KYIV/WARSAW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – A Russian missile has violated the air space of Poland amid one of the most intense Russian attacks on nearby Ukraine, prompting the NATO military alliance to prepare for an armed confrontation, U.S. and Polish officials confirmed Sunday.
Later Sunday, Russia said it “scrambled” one of its Mig-31 fighter jets in response to what it says “is an approach” by two U.S. bombers over the Barents Sea.
The American bombers turned away from the Russian border after the approach of the MiG-31, the Russian defense ministry added.
However, unlike the Russian missile in Poland, the U.S. aircraft did not appear to have violated Russian airspace, Worthy News established.
The armed forces operational command of Poland, a NATO member, said the Russian incursion occurred at 4:23 am local time by one of the cruise missiles launched by Russia against towns in western Ukraine.
“The object entered Polish space near the town of Oserdow and stayed there for 39 seconds. During the entire flight, it was observed by military radar systems,” the armed forces explained
Poland’s defense minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, warned the Russian missile would have been shot down had there been any indication that it was heading towards a target in Poland.
MONITORING MISSILE
He said Polish authorities monitored the missile on its way to Ukraine and were in contact with Ukrainian counterparts. The minister added that Polish and NATO F-16 fighter jets were activated in a strategic response.
“As last night’s rocket attack on Ukraine was one of the most intense since the beginning of the Russian aggression, all the strategic procedures were launched on time, and the object was monitored until it left the Polish airspace,” he said.
It came as neighboring Ukraine faced a barrage of Russian missiles, prompting more counter-attacks from Kyiv against Russian targets, including ships and related infrastructure.
Russia launched a missile and drone attack on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and the region of Lviv early on Sunday, authorities said.
On Sunday morning, Kyiv residents took shelter in metro stations as the attack began at 05:00 local time.
Officials said their defenses had shot down 18 Russian missiles and 25 drones there with only “minor damage” reported.
About 20 Russian missiles and seven drones targeted “critical infrastructure” in the western region of Lviv, although no damage was confirmed there.
HITTING SHIPS
Soon after, Ukraine said it hit two landing ships, which are used to land troops and equipment straight to shore without the need for a pier or dock.
A communications center and other infrastructure used by Russia’s Black Sea fleet were also hit in the strikes around Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, Ukraine’s military said.
An announcement by the Ukrainian general staff explained that the Yamal and Azov ships had been destroyed. There was no immediate independent confirmation.
The Russian-installed authorities of the Crimean port of Sevastopol claimed that 10 Ukrainian missiles had been shot down.
Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-appointed mayor of Sevastopol, said damage had been caused to residential buildings and transport infrastructure due to the “massive” attack.
He asked residents not to publish information or any images.
Britain’s Defence Secretary Grant Shapps praised the attack on the Russian ships, calling it a “historic moment for Ukraine.”
SUPPORT CONTINUES
He stressed that “In plain English, it means that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin can no longer exercise safely in the Black Sea, even though the Russian Fleet has operated there since 1783,” he stressed.
The minister added that the world “cannot afford” for Ukraine. to lose this war and that Britain’s support for Kyiv against Russian assaults “will remain undimmed.”
Elsewhere, a Russian missile strike hit a Ukrainian underground gas storage site.
However, it would not affect the natural gas supply to Ukrainian consumers, Ukrainian state-run energy firm Naftogaz claimed.
“All nominations of customers for storage and capacity booking services continue to be fulfilled in full,” Naftogaz’s CEO, Oleksiy Chernyshov, said in a statement.
Yet the strikes underscored broader concerns about the ongoing war with countries such as NATO member Hungary calling for a ceasefire as hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have been killed and injured.
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia began in February 2022 but encountered more resistance than Moscow anticipated.
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