Romania scrambles jets over fresh drone incursion as Russia carries out air strikes near NATO border

NATO member Romania, which borders Ukraine, took off with warplanes early Wednesday after a new drone attack on its territory, the defense ministry said.

In a press release, the ministry said that following Russia’s air strikes on Romania’s border with Ukraine, “the UAV reappeared on the radar intermittently for about 12 minutes,” adding that “no cases of the aircraft hitting the ground were reported.”

The incident is the latest in a series of drone sightings across mainland Europe, often causing serious disruption at major airports.

The frequency of such attacks has increased since September, when more than 20 Russian drones violated Polish airspace.

Romania has had Russian drone parts crash on its territory multiple times since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The country had previously mobilized F-16 fighter jets on September 14 in response to a drone attack carried out during Russia’s offensive against infrastructure in neighboring Ukraine.

The origins of many of these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are unknown, but European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described them as ‘hybrid warfare’ waged by Vladimir Putin.

It comes as NATO fighters and an early warning plane took off over Eastern Europe earlier today as Russia launched one of its most intense bombing raids on Ukraine.

The timing of the horror followed news of a new round of U.S. talks aimed at brokering a peace deal with Moscow and, separately, with Ukraine.

Russia has launched missiles and drones across Ukraine, injuring at least 46 people, including children aged nine and 13, in its second-largest city, Kharkiv.

In Ternopil, Putin’s trademark latest attack on innocent civilians as they slept included multiple missile and drone strikes, hitting a residential tower block.

At least nine people died and dozens were injured in Putin’s attack on Ternopil.

Choking smoke covered the city.

In the statement made by the operational commander of the Polish armed forces, it was said: ‘Due to the attack of the Russian Federation on targets located on the territory of Ukraine, Polish and allied air forces are operating in our airspace…

‘Mission fighter pairs and early warning aircraft were scrambled and ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems reached highest alert level.

‘These actions are preventive in nature and are aimed at securing and protecting airspace, particularly in areas adjacent to threatened areas.’

A NATO E-3A aircraft with Airborne Warning and Control System was flying over Poland, apparently monitoring today’s morning flights of Russian drones and missile systems over Ukrainian airspace.

Russian drones hit Kharkiv, injuring more than 30 residents and damaging residences, shops and critical infrastructure

Children aged 9 and 13 were injured in Russian attack

A residential building caught fire after a Russian drone attack in Semenivka, Chernihiv region

NATO aircraft were also scrambled in Romania due to near-Russian incursions into allied territory, amid reports of UAVs flying over allied territory.

Bucharest said two German Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets and a pair of Romanian F-16s were forced to deploy due to Russian attacks.

The German aircraft at Base 57 Mihail Kogălniceanu, which operates as the Reinforced Air Police in member country Romania, flew amid Putin’s forces striking in Ukraine near the Danube River border.

F-16s of the Romanian Air Force took off from the 71st Air Base in Câmpia Turzii.

There were fears that a Russian drone was flying within five miles of Romanian territory.

“The drone reappeared on radar intermittently for approximately 12 minutes from Colibași (Republic of Moldova) to Foltești and then in the Oancea (Romania) area, and a Ro-Alert message was sent at 00:59 in the north of Galaţi County,” an air force statement from Bucharest said.

Zelensky warned that “people could be trapped under the rubble” after the attack on Ternopil.

‘Every brazen attack on ordinary life shows that the pressure on Russia is insufficient,’ he said.

‘Effective sanctions and aid to Ukraine could change this.

‘The real need is missiles for air defense, additional systems, increased capabilities of our combat aviation and the production of life-saving drones.

‘Russia must be held accountable for its actions and we must focus on everything that strengthens us, allows us to shoot down Russian missiles, neutralize Russian drones and stop attacks. Thank you to everyone in the world who helped.’

Explosions rock Lviv during another major Russian attack on western Ukraine

Russia has launched missiles and drones across Ukraine, injuring at least 46 people in its second-largest city, Kharkiv.

A firefighter fights a fire in a residential building in Semenivka, Chernihiv region

Smoke rose after the explosion in Lviv, western Ukraine

The latest Russian attacks come after Ukraine fired four US-supplied ATACMS ballistic missiles at a target in Voronezh for the first time.

Moscow claimed they were all shot, but there are doubts about Russia’s claims.

Missiles have previously been used to destroy enemy command centers (for example, in Operation Iraqi Freedom), leading to suspicions of such a target.

The devastating attacks also coincided with Volodymyr Zelensky arriving in Ankara today for anticipated talks with Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff.

This follows reports of behind-the-scenes talks on a peace deal between Russia and the United States, including between Witkoff and Kirill Dmitriev, Putin’s envoy in Miami.

This resulted in a 28-point plan covering peace in Ukraine, security guarantees, security in Europe and future U.S. relations with Russia and Ukraine, according to Axios.

Separately, Trump sent a military delegation to Kiev for talks, led by Army Secretary Dan Driscol, U.S. Army Chief of Staff Randy George, and U.S. forces commander in Europe Chris Donahue.

The attack on a high-rise residential building in Ternopil was described as a ‘deliberate war crime’ by Ukrainian sources.

Mayor Serhiy Nadal said a desperate rescue effort was underway after a residential building was reduced to rubble.

‘There is no military sense in attacking settlements in this city. It’s clear this was done deliberately to kill as many sleeping people as possible,’ a Telegram source said.

Power and heating outages were reported as temperatures dropped below zero.

Burning cars on a residential street after Russian drones hit Kharkiv, damaging shops and critical infrastructure

Explosions rock Ternopil as Russia launches new attack killing at least nine people

Missile and drone attacks on Lviv caused explosions and fires, a warehouse went up in flames

The attack on a high-rise residential building in Ternopil was described as a ‘deliberate war crime’ by Ukrainian sources

Remains of ATACMS missile found after Ukrainian attack as Russia claims all four were shot down in Voronezh

The latest Russian attacks come after Ukraine fired four US-supplied ATACMS ballistic missiles at a target in Voronezh for the first time.

“The only thing the Russians know how to do ‘good’ is to bomb, explode and kill,” Telegram channel Nevzerov said.

Two children were injured in the attack on the Burshtyn Thermal Power Plant in the Ivano-Frankivsk region.

In other attacks earlier today, Russia hit 16 apartments, vehicles, shops and civilian businesses in Kharkiv with a swarm of Shahid drones.

Missile and drone attacks on Lviv caused explosions and fires, and a warehouse went up in flames.

There were power outages in the city due to the collapse of the power plant.

Ukrainian human rights commission Dmytro Lubinets said: ‘Russia has once again shown that its goal is destruction and death.

‘The aggressor country hit Ukraine again overnight.

‘Kharkiv – 46 people, including 2 children, were injured. Fires, destroyed houses, completely burned entrances.

‘Lviv and Ternopil are also under attack.

‘In Ternopil, an entire residential building lost its upper floors, where people were sleeping peacefully at the time.

‘The aggressor cannot be stopped by statements, calls or official condemnations. Only concrete actions can stop this.’

Ukraine’s attacks hit the Ilsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar region and closed airports close to Putin’s largest palace, including Gelendzhik.

More than half a million people were left without electricity in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region, and a state of emergency was declared after the Ukrainian attacks.

This is breaking news. More to follow.