Russia's Missile Barrage Sets Odesa and Zaporizhzhia Ablaze as Poland Scrambles Fighter Jets Near NATO Border
Russian missile strikes ignited large fires at businesses in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia while Poland launched fighter jets to defend its airspace near the NATO border.
Russian missile strikes sparked massive fires at commercial and industrial sites in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian officials said, as Poland scrambled fighter jets early Thursday to defend its airspace while Russia attacked western Ukraine near the NATO border [264686] [264706]. Warsaw ordered aircraft into the air and placed its air-defense systems on high alert in direct response to the strikes near Polish territory [264706].
The attacks came as President Volodymyr Zelensky met with European leaders for talks [264686]. The strikes are part of a broader Russian campaign against Ukraine's energy infrastructure and cities. Russia has systematically targeted power plants in Kyiv and Kharkiv, causing widespread blackouts and water shortages in a strategy that appears designed to make major Ukrainian cities unlivable [264197]. Overnight attacks also hit several Ukrainian energy facilities and a data center, though the full extent of the damage was not immediately clear [262057].
The human toll continued to mount. Russia launched its largest drone attack on Kirovohrad Oblast since the full-scale invasion, killing three people in the regional capital, Kropyvnytskyi [262687] [264107]. The drones struck critical infrastructure, transport companies, logistics sites, and homes across the central Ukrainian region [262687]. Separate strikes on Kharkiv and the Lviv region killed at least three people and injured 37 others [262145].
Ukraine has struck back. The Ukrainian Navy said it hit six Su-34 bombers at a Russian airbase using Neptune missiles, targeting jets that carry glide bombs used against Ukrainian towns [262692]. Ukrainian drones also struck data centers run by Yandex and Sberbank, two of Russia's largest tech companies, marking a new front in the war targeting Russia's digital economy [263453]. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries and e-commerce sites have caused no significant damage [263444].
The financial strain on Ukraine is growing. The country faces a $52 billion war budget shortfall as Western allies tie further aid to reform progress [264107]. Meanwhile, Ukraine's largest steelworks has begun a cold shutdown after suffering extensive damage from Russian strikes, with the plant's operator saying safe operation is impossible while the war continues [261522].