Russia's "heavy attack" in Ukraine forces Polish fighter jets to take off

Polish and NATO jets were scrambled on the morning of January 23 in response to intense activity by the Russian air force involving long-range attacks on Ukrainian territory, the Polish Armed Forces' Operational Command (DORSZ) said.

The Polish Air Force's response was announced on the morning of January 23 on the social media platform X/Twitter.

“We would like to inform you that intensive activity of Russian long-range aviation has been observed, related to the intention to conduct attacks against Ukraine, and as a result Polish and allied aviation has been activated,” DORSZ said in the post.

According to DORSZ, the situation was being monitored regularly and “all necessary safety procedures to ensure the safety of Polish airspace were implemented”.

DORSZ also warned the public about the potential impact of the emergency sorties. “Polish and allied aviation has been activated, which may lead to increased noise levels, especially in the south-eastern regions of the country,” the agency said.

Air strike warnings rang out across Ukraine amid Russian air strikes on January 23, with explosions heard in several regions, including Kiev, Kharkiv and Dnipro.

World - Russia's — Medical staff and law enforcement officers assist a local resident injured by a missile strike in Kharkiv, January 23, 2024. Photo: Getty Images

January 23 marks the 699th day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia calls it a “special military operation,” which began on February 24, 2022.

Amid an armed conflict right next door, Poland – a NATO and EU member – has seen missiles stray into its airspace on several occasions.

On December 29 last year, an unidentified object, suspected to be a Russian missile, violated Polish airspace. The object, detected by both Polish and NATO radar systems, originated from Ukraine and crossed 40 km of Polish territory before disappearing in less than 3 minutes. No casualties or damage were reported following the incident.

Previously, in November 2022, a missile believed to be a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile accidentally hit a Polish village near the Ukrainian border, killing two locals .

Minh Duc (According to The First News, New Voice of Ukraine)

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