At least five people were killed and several others injured in Ukraine on Monday after a wave of Russian missile and drone attacks struck multiple regions, Ukrainian authorities have confirmed.
The strikes, which targeted both civilian and energy infrastructure, were launched overnight and continued into the early hours of the morning. Ukraine’s air force reported that it intercepted a number of drones, but several missiles managed to penetrate air defenses, causing casualties and widespread damage.
In the western city of Lviv, local officials said residential buildings were hit, killing at least three people, including a child. Two others were reported dead in Kharkiv, where emergency crews battled fires sparked by falling debris. “This is another act of terror against our people,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, vowing that those responsible would be held accountable.
The attack also triggered regional security alarms. Poland, a NATO member bordering Ukraine, confirmed that it scrambled fighter jets after monitoring Russian missiles approaching close to its airspace. The Polish Armed Forces issued a statement assuring citizens that no violation occurred but stressed that “all necessary measures were taken to guarantee national security.”
This is not the first time Polish jets have been deployed in response to Russian strikes near its border. Warsaw has consistently warned Moscow against destabilizing actions that risk drawing NATO into direct confrontation. “Poland will never allow its sovereignty to be threatened,” said Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
The fresh wave of attacks underscores the ongoing intensity of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its fourth year. With winter approaching, analysts fear that Moscow is once again focusing on crippling Ukraine’s power grid to pressure civilians and strain the country’s defenses.
Western allies, including the United States and the European Union, have condemned the strikes and pledged to continue supporting Kyiv with advanced air-defense systems. The United Nations called for restraint, warning that repeated attacks on civilian areas risk escalating the conflict further.
