NATO aircraft and an early warning plane were sent over eastern Europe today in response to a significant Russian assault on Ukraine. The attack coincided with renewed US discussions with both Moscow and Kiev to facilitate a peace agreement. Russia’s offensive involved missile and drone strikes in Kharkiv, resulting in 46 injuries, including children. In Ternopil, residential areas were targeted, resulting in casualties and destruction, prompting Ukrainian President Zelensky to call for increased support, including air defense systems and drone capabilities.
NATO jets were deployed in Romania due to Russian strikes near allied territory, with concerns raised about a Russian drone breaching Romanian airspace. Poland also heightened its air defense readiness in response to the conflict. Meanwhile, a NATO surveillance aircraft monitored Russian activities over Ukrainian airspace. Ukraine, for the first time, used US-supplied missiles in an attack on Voronezh, raising doubts about Russian claims of intercepting them.
Zelensky’s visit to Ankara for talks with Donald Trump’s envoy and reports of a potential peace plan between Russia and the US added a diplomatic dimension to the escalating crisis. Ukrainian sources condemned the deliberate targeting of civilian areas in Ternopil as war crimes, with rescue efforts underway amidst power and heating shortages. Russian strikes in various Ukrainian cities caused widespread damage and casualties, reinforcing the need for international action to address the conflict.