NATO aircraft were mobilized in response to new attacks by Russia in Ukraine. Portions of Polish airspace were closed off as Russian drones and missiles headed towards western Ukraine, specifically targeting Burshtyn, which houses a thermal power plant in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. The power plant in Burshtyn has been repeatedly attacked by Russia amid harsh winter conditions, with reports of over a dozen assaults.
The Operational Command of the Armed Forces in Poland indicated in a social media post that military aviation activities were initiated in response to the long-range aviation operations of Russia. These measures were taken as a preemptive action to secure and defend the airspace, particularly in areas neighboring the threatened regions. Subsequent updates confirmed that the operations concluded without any breaches of Polish airspace.
Explosions were also reported in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, prompting a large-scale air alert across the country due to the risk of ballistic missile threats. Ukrainian military sources noted the launch of cruise missiles directed towards Vinnytsia and Cherkasy regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed that more than 400 drones and around 40 missiles were deployed in the overnight attacks on Ukraine. In Lviv, newborn babies were swiftly moved to underground shelters immediately after birth as the city faced intense explosions.
Russian air strikes in recent months have primarily targeted Ukraine’s power grid, causing widespread blackouts and disrupting essential services during the severe winter weather. Following the recent attacks, emergency power cuts were enforced in numerous regions across Ukraine.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal reported a significant assault on Ukraine’s energy facilities by Russian forces. The Burshtyn and Dobrotvir thermal power plants were hit, alongside overhead lines and substations. Ukrenergo, the state-owned electricity transmission system operator in Ukraine, requested emergency aid from Poland according to Shmyhal.
President Zelensky criticized the performance of the air force in parts of Ukraine as inadequate and highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance the response to Russian drone attacks on civilian areas. He discussed the necessity for new air defense measures to counter the escalating drone assaults but did not delve into specifics.
A June deadline has been set by the US for Ukraine and Russia to reach a resolution to the nearly four-year conflict. Failure to meet the deadline could result in increased pressure on both parties, as communicated by President Zelensky. Discussions on ending the war are ongoing, with proposals for trilateral talks scheduled for the upcoming week, potentially in Miami.
The latest deadline for negotiations follows previous trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi facilitated by the US, which did not yield any breakthrough as both sides maintain conflicting demands. Russia continues to push for Ukrainian withdrawal from Donbas, an area of intense fighting, a condition that Kyiv adamantly rejects.
