Poland activates fighter jets to protect airspace as Russia pounds Ukraine with missiles

Poland scrambled fighter jets to protect its airspace Tuesday as Russia intensified its bombardment of Ukraine with missiles. Last week one Russian missile crossed briefly into Polish territory, according to the Polish military.

Poland scrambled fighter jets to protect its airspace Tuesday as Russia intensified its bombardment of Ukraine with missiles. Last week one Russian missile crossed briefly into Polish territory, according to the Polish military. Poland, a NATO member that shares a border with Ukraine, said it activated two pairs of F-16 fighter jets and an allied air tanker early Tuesday morning, after Russia launched its latest deadly missile attack on Ukraine, targeting the capital Kyiv and eastern Kharkiv region. “We would like to inform you that intensive long-range aviation activity of the Russian Federation is being observed, which is related to carrying out strikes on the territory of Ukraine,” Poland’s Operational Command wrote on X. It said it activated a pair of fighter jets stationed at a base in Łask and in Krzesiny “in order to ensure the safety of Polish airspace.” The decision comes days after the Polish military said it believed a Russian missile had entered and then left Polish airspace. Russia had stepped up its strikes on Ukraine over the New Year period and on Friday unleashed the biggest missile attack since the start of its full-scale invasion nearly two years ago. Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires Andrei Ordash and gave him a note requesting an explanation. But Russia said it “will not give explanations” until concrete evidence is presented, Russian state media RIA Novosti reported. Ordash told RIA Novosti that the note “contained only unfounded accusations,” adding that Poland had “refused to provide evidence that the missile was of Russian origin.”