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NATO Nation Scrambles Fighter Jets After Russian Ballistic Missile Strikes.
Poland scrambled fighter jets after Russia conducted strikes with ballistic and cruise missiles in Western Ukraine, according to the Armed Force’s RSZ Operational Command’s post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The command body of the NATO member’s Armed Forces said in conducting these attacks, Russia has also began operating in its airspace, so it felt it was necessary to scramble fighter jets, meaning it quickly deployed as many fighter jets as possible.
The RSZ Operational Command wrote, “Attention, due to another attack by the Russian Federation using cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles on objects located, among others, in western Ukraine, military aviation has begun operating in our airspace. In accordance with applicable procedures, the Operational Commander of the RSZ has activated all available forces and resources at his disposal, the duty fighter pairs have been scrambled, and the ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems have reached the highest state of readiness.
“The steps taken are aimed at ensuring security in the areas bordering the threatened areas. The Operational Command of the RSZ is monitoring the current situation, and the subordinate forces and resources remain in full readiness for immediate response.”
Newsweek reached out to Poland’s Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation for comment via email.
Poland scrambled fighter jets after Russia launched a large-scale aerial attack on Ukraine overnight on Friday utilizing cruise missiles and drones, and targeted the country’s power grid, as reported by The Guardian. Ukraine’s air force also said that Russia fired ballistic Kinzhal missiles at Ukraine’s western regions.
This is not the first time Poland has scrambled fighter jets in response to Russian attacks on Ukraine, as it did so close to the Poland-Ukraine border after Russia launched an aerial attack on Kyiv’s energy infrastructure in November.
Similarly, on that occasion, Russia attacked Ukraine with cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as drones.
Poland also previously scrambled two F-16 jets to identify and intercept an Il-20 Russian aircraft performing a reconnaissance mission flying over the Baltic Sea, also known as “NATO lake,” in international airspace in August.
Not the only NATO nation to scramble fighter jets in response to Russian attacks on Ukraine, Romania has also quickly mobilized after detecting “groups of drones” heading over the Black Sea to Ukraine close to Romanian airspace in early November. Romania also utilized two F-16 fighter jets when “monitoring the situation.”
The Latvian air force has also scrambled fighter jets to intercept five Russian military aircraft after they were seen flying over the Baltic Sea in September.
(Miami herald)