Poland Responds to Nighttime Russian Air Attack Against Ukraine by Mobilizing Aviation
During the night of June 28 to 29, Polish military forces heightened their readiness by scrambling aircraft in response to a large-scale combined air raid launched by Russia against Ukrainian territories. According to the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces, both Polish and allied aviation were quickly dispatched into the skies to counter the massive missile attack and the deployment of Russian combat aircraft. Ground-based air defense systems and radar stations were also placed on high alert to promptly react to potential new threats. In the morning, authorities announced that the threat level had decreased and that the operation to withdraw aircraft from the airspace was complete. This procedure has become a standard response for Poland following previous incidents where during major missile strikes on Ukraine, some projectiles or drones crossed the border, entering Polish airspace. Polish military officials confirmed that since the night began, over 530 rockets of various types and drones had been launched by Russia, many directed towards western Ukraine. Ukrainian military sources reported that Russia carried out one of its largest missile launches to date during this period, with a record number of missiles and UAVs fired, indicating an escalation in both the scale and intensity of Russian aggression against Ukraine.