NATO scrambled warplanes on Ukraine’s border overnight amid huge Russian strikes on multiple cities.
Drones and missiles were launched at Kyiv as Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bombers were reportedly unleashed to rain hell on the infamous Snake Island in the Black Sea.
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Moscow launched a massive strike on Rivne using its Tu-22M3 and Tu-95MS strategic bombers to hit Dubny airbase.
The planes were destroyed last week in Kyiv’s daring Operation Spiderweb.
Another key Ukrainian military airport – Hostomel – was also attacked as Putin sought revenge for the humiliating attack.
Polish armed forces command said Nato fighter jets were patrolling due to “intensive air attack by the Russian Federation on Ukrainian territory”.
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A statement said: “The operational commander of the armed forces launched all available forces and resources at his disposal.
“The on-duty fighter pairs were scrambled, and the ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems reached the highest state of readiness.”
Such measures were “preventive in nature” and were “undertaken in order to ensure security and monitor the situation near the borders of the Republic of Poland.”
Russia unleashed lethal air-launched Kinzhal, or Dagger, hypersonic missiles from supersonic MiG-31K fighter jets.
Reports said four Russian Kh-22 missiles from Tu-22M3 missile carriers slammed into strategic Snake Island in the Black Sea.
Drilling rigs were also reported to have been targeted.
The tiny isle became legendary during the initial Russian invasion when heroic Ukrainian defenders famously radioed to an approaching Russian cruiser, telling the crew to “Go f*** yourself”.
The island was later won back by Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Kyiv launched its own attack on Russia targeting an electronics company linked to Russia’s missile production.
Dramatic footage showed drones hitting the hi-tech VNIIR-Progress plant in pinpoint strikes.
The plant is crucial to the Russian war effort, and it halted work immediately after the overnight strike.
It manufactures interference-resistant navigation modules used in Russian cruise missiles – including Iskander-M and Kalibr – and drones.
Significant damage was done to the defence-linked production lines.
There was also disruption with multiple Russian airports temporarily halting flights in Tambov, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan.
It comes just two days after Putin claimed he exacted revenge for Ukraine’s stunning Operation Spiderweb blitz following an overnight barrage.
Moscow hammered Kyiv with 407 drones and 44 missiles – unleashing a deadly wave of strikes that killed three and injured dozens.
Ukraine said it shot down about 30 of the cruise missiles and up to 200 of the drones.
Russia’s military claimed that it had bombed military targets in response to what it called Ukrainian “terrorist acts”.
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The blitz came just days after Ukraine destroyed a third of Russia’s strategic nuclear bombers in a stunning sabotage strike.
Explosions ripped through the Kyiv skyline, and air defences could be seen firing near the giant Mother Ukraine statue.
Volodymyr Zelensky slammed Putin for the strikes sayin,g “Russia doesn’t change its stripes – another massive strike on cities and ordinary life.
“I thank our warriors for their defence. But unfortunately, not all were intercepted.
“Russia must be held accountable for this.”
Putin has barbarically continued to target innocent civilians – despite claiming he wants peace.
President Donald Trump heaped praise on Zelensky for his calculated drone assault attack – but warned it has only made Vlad crazier.
The Kremlin dictator held a 75 minute phone call with Trump last week as they discussed rising tensions in Ukraine.
The daring Operation Spiderweb saw a fired up Ukraine wreck 41 Russian planes across the strategic airfields.
Putin’s doomsday bomber fleet was crippled with a third of his most prized aircraft lying in smouldering wrecks.
Russia’s ambassador in London pinned some of the blame for the attack on Britain.
Moscow diplomat Andrei Kelin said that Ukrainian attacks “are bringing the conflict to a different level of escalation”.
Russian ambassador to the UK Kelin warned that Kyiv shouldn’t “try to engulf World War Three” in an interview with Sky News.
SUMMER OFFENSIVE BREWING
Western analysts say Putin is not just seeking revenge, but a breakthrough.
Reports from Ukrainian intelligence suggest up to 125,000 troops are massing near the Sumy and Kharkiv frontiers, with fears of a three-pronged summer assault to finally break the deadlock.
The offensive is expected to focus on Kramatorsk, Kostiantynivka, and Pokrovsk in the Donbas – with plans to encircle key cities rather than slug it out street by street.
Military analyst Konrad Muzyka told The Telegraph Russia’s tactics have evolved: “We have seen the Russians shift to focused, small-unit attacks, often of just three to five men.
“Company-size assaults of 50 to 100 men hardly ever happen anymore.”
But Ukraine, armed with drones and Western weapons, isn’t backing down.
Zelensky warned last week: “Even after all of Russia’s horrific attacks, he is reportedly preparing yet more so-called ‘responses.’
“With every new strike, with every delay of diplomacy, Russia is giving the finger to the entire world.”
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