Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs On Saturday morning, Poland scrambled its fighter jets and put its ground-based air defense system on “the highest state of readiness” after a Russian attack in Ukraine, Poland’s military said.Newsweek reached out to the Russian government via online form for comment on Saturday.Why It MattersIt has been nearly three years since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Poland, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), has been a critical ally to Kyiv in the ongoing war, providing nearly $3.35 billion in military aid as of November 2024.Ukraine sits west of Poland and east of Russia.What To KnowRussia bombarded Ukraine overnight with missiles, attack drones and aerial bombs. Three people were killed and another 10, including children, were injured in Poltava, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X, formerly Twitter, Saturday morning. Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said the death toll was at least seven with 14 more injured, the Associated Press reported later Saturday morning.The regions of Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi and Kyiv were also hit, resulting in one death and six more people being wounded, according to Zelensky. The AP said one was killed in Kharkiv and seven more were injured in Odesa, citing Ukrainian officials.
Firefighters are at work to put out a fire that broke out in a heavily damaged residential building following a missile strike in Poltava on February 1 amid Russia’s invasion on Ukraine.
Firefighters are at work to put out a fire that broke out in a heavily damaged residential building following a missile strike in Poltava on February 1 amid Russia’s invasion on Ukraine.
Sergey Bobok/AFP via Getty Images
Poland Scrambles Fighter JetsThe Operational Command of Poland’s Armed Forces wrote in a post on X on Saturday: “Attention, due to the attack by the Russian Federation, which carried out strikes on objects located, among others, in western Ukraine, Polish and allied aviation has begun operating in our airspace.”Officials said that fighter jets were scrambled and the ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems “reached the highest state of readiness.””The steps taken are aimed at ensuring safety in areas bordering the threatened areas,” the X post read.What People Are SayingUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X on Saturday: “Every such act of terror proves that we need greater support in defending against Russian terror. Every air defense system, every interceptor missile, means a life saved. It is crucial that our partners take action, fulfill our agreements, and increase pressure on Russia.”Poland’s Operational Command wrote on X on Saturday: “The Operational Command of the Armed Forces is monitoring the current situation, and its subordinate forces and resources remain in full readiness for immediate response.”What Happens NextFebruary 24 will mark the third anniversary of the start of the Russia-Ukraine war. President Donald Trump promised to end the war within a day of taking office. It’s been 12 days since Trump was inaugurated and no deal between the two Eastern European countries has been made.On Friday, Trump said his administration has had “very serious” talks with Russia about the war and that he and Putin could take “significant” action toward ending it.”We want to end that war,” Trump told reporters on Friday. “That war would have not started if I was president.”Trump, meanwhile, met with Zelensky in September 2024.
