Poland puts air defence on high alert following Russian attack on Ukraine

Poland's air defence and radar reconnaissance have been put on high alert amid an air alert in Ukraine, and NATO aircraft have also been put in the air, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said on social media.

"In accordance with current procedures, the operational commander of the armed forces has deployed all available forces and means, duty pairs of fighter jets have been put in the air, and ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have been put on the highest level of readiness," the Command said, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said the measures were taken in connection with "another attack by Russian Federation, which strikes facilities located, among others, in western Ukraine."

It is also reported that Polish and allied aircraft are ‘involved in the protection of Polish airspace’.

"The Operational Command of the Armed Forces is monitoring the current situation and its subordinate forces and means remain in full readiness for an immediate response," the Operational Command said.

On the morning of November 17, Russian troops began firing missiles at several regions of Ukraine at once. The AFU air force reported the launch of cruise missiles by Tu-95ms strategic bombers at around 06:00 Kyiv time. Kalibr cruise missiles were launched from the waters of the Black Sea. The launches of hypersonic Kinzhal missiles from MiG-31 aircraft were also recorded.

In addition, several Ukrainian regions were attacked by attack drones during the night. Authorities reported explosions in Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Kyiv. Explosions were also heard in Odesa, Dnipro, Kryvyy Rih and Cherkasy Region.

By Khagan Isayev