Kyiv, Ukraine – The Ukrainian capital faced heavy Russian shelling early Sunday, prompting the Ukrainian Air Force to place all of Ukraine on high alert for potential air raids. Meanwhile, neighboring Poland closed parts of its airspace, announcing readiness along with its allies to respond to any Russian activity.
اضافة اعلان
Reuters cited independent observers saying that Sunday’s early-morning strikes represent one of the largest Russian attacks on Kyiv since Moscow launched its full-scale war over three and a half years ago.
Drones were reported over Kyiv and surrounding areas, while anti-aircraft fire resounded throughout the previous night. The attack continued until 7:20 a.m. local time (04:20 GMT). Some residents sought shelter in underground metro stations, and large parts of the country were on high alert, as announced by the Ukrainian Air Force.
Poland and Allies
The Polish military stated: “Our forces and allies are operating in our airspace due to Russian Air Force activity targeting Ukraine,” adding that it “monitors the situation and keeps forces and resources ready for immediate response.”
Flight radar data reported that airspace near Lublin and Rzeszów in Poland was closed “due to unplanned military activity.” The Polish military described this as a precautionary measure to secure the airspace and protect citizens, especially in areas near threatened zones.
Tensions and Threats
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking to the UN General Assembly, stated that Russia has no intention of attacking Europe but will respond “decisively” to any aggression. Lavrov emphasized that Russia faces threats and said: “Russia has never had and will never have intentions to attack European countries or NATO members. However, any aggression against my country will be met with decisive response.”
Reports of unauthorized Russian fighter jets and drones entering NATO airspace have raised European concerns. NATO fighters shot down drones over Poland, and Estonia reported that Russian aircraft entered its airspace for 12 minutes. Russia denied violating Estonian airspace, claiming the drones were not targeting Poland. Belarus suggested Ukrainian signal interference caused the drones to deviate from their course.
European leaders view these incidents as deliberate provocations meant to test NATO’s response. The alliance warned Russia that it would use all means to defend its airspace.
Arming Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine is prepared to finalize additional arms deals with the United States, including long-range weapons, supplementing the existing $90 billion agreement. He said Ukrainian teams will meet U.S. counterparts at the end of September or early October to implement the purchases, including U.S.-supplied drones.
Zelensky also mentioned consultations with partner countries to share Ukraine’s drone-countermeasure systems, which have been a key feature since Russia’s invasion in 2022. Ukraine continues to rely on long-range aerial capabilities, particularly drones, to target Russian military and energy sites.
— (Agencies)
