By Julia Struck
Copyright kyivpost
“This is just one of the locations of today’s massive Russian strike: about 415 drones of various types and over 40 cruise and ballistic missiles. Fifteen of our regions were under attack. Unfortunately, one person died in the Zhytomyr region. My condolences to his family and friends,” he said.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, 458 aerial targets were launched, including:
415 Shahed, Geran, and other drones (over 250 of them Shaheds),
42 Kh-101/Kalibr strategic cruise missiles and Kh-59(69) tactical air-to-surface missiles,
1 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missile.
Air defense and electronic warfare units, supported by aviation and mobile fire groups, shot down or suppressed 413 targets, including 386 drones and 27 missiles.
Sixteen missiles and 21 strike drones still managed to hit 17 locations across Ukraine.
“At least eight enemy UAVs crossed into Polish airspace,” the Air Force reported.
Zelensky warned that Moscow is testing “the limits of the possible,” adding:
“Today, there was another escalation step – Russian-Iranian Shaheds operated in Polish, in NATO airspace. Not one drone that could be called an accident, but at least eight strike UAVs. This is an extremely dangerous precedent for Europe.”
He stressed that the response must be strong and united: “Russia must feel the consequences. We need enough weapons to deter Russia. This can only be a joint response from all partners: Ukraine, Poland, all Europeans, the United States.”
Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential office, said Russia is escalating because it feels “permissiveness and impunity.”
Mykhailo Podoliak, a presidential advisor, added that Russia’s drone strike on Poland was deliberate, intended to test the West’s reaction and frighten Ukraine’s partners.
“Living in the illusion that Russia can be appeased only means a mandatory large-scale tragedy for many European countries very soon,” Podoliak wrote.
In Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk convened an emergency government meeting.
Defense officials confirmed weapons had been used against drones, while the wreckage of one Russian UAV was found in Wyryki, Lublin region, damaging a house and car. Another was downed near Czosnówka, close to the Belarusian border.
In the early hours of Sept. 10, Russia launched waves of Shahed drones from multiple directions, pushing westward toward Ukraine. By around 1 a.m. (2200 UTC), some crossed into Poland, breaching NATO airspace.
By 6 a.m. (0300 UTC), Ukraine’s Air Force reported additional cruise missiles flying from both north and south.
Poland confirmed hostile drones over its territory, scrambling fighters, activating air defenses, and vectoring allied warplanes to intercept. At least four airports, including Rzeszów, Lublin, Warsaw, and Modlin, were closed, with Podlaskie, Masovian, and Lublin voivodeships placed on high alert.
Tusk confirmed Polish forces had engaged the drones, while President Karol Nawrocki convened an emergency security briefing, stressing that “the security of our homeland is the highest priority.”
The White House remained silent after Poland, for the first time, confirmed destroying Russian military drones in NATO airspace. When pressed by reporters, US President Donald Trump declined to comment.
