Poland was forced to scramble fighter jets and temporarily close airports near its border with Ukraine after Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Kyiv in recent months. The devastating attack, which involved nearly 900 missiles and drones, struck the Ukrainian capital just hours before President Volodymyr Zelensky was due to hold critical peace talks with US President Donald Trump.
Capital Under Sustained Assault
The bombardment began on the night of December 26 and continued into the early morning of December 27, lasting for approximately ten hours. President Zelensky stated that the city was targeted by a combined force of 400 missiles and 500 drones, with a significant number being Iranian-made "Shahed" models. He confirmed that the primary objectives were energy facilities and civilian infrastructure.
The consequences for Kyiv's residents were severe and immediate. A third of the city's population awoke on a freezing winter morning to find they had no heating. The strikes caused widespread power cuts, affecting more than 320,000 households. At least seven separate locations across the capital were hit.
Civilian Infrastructure Targeted
According to the city's Military Administration, a 24-storey residential building in the Darnytsia district was struck directly. Fires also broke out in an 18-storey residential block in the Dnipro district and in two other neighbourhoods. The human cost of the attack is still being tallied, with authorities confirming at least one person killed and more than 20 injured. Among the wounded was a 16-year-old.
In a post on the social media platform X, President Zelensky condemned the timing and brutality of the strike. "This is the true attitude of Putin and his inner circle," he wrote. "They do not want to end the war and seek to use every opportunity to cause Ukraine even greater suffering and increase their pressure on others around the world."
Regional Security Response and Impending Diplomacy
The scale of the attack triggered a swift defensive response from NATO member Poland. Polish fighter jets stationed near the Ukrainian border were readied to protect Polish airspace. As a precaution, commercial airports in Lublin and Rzeszów were temporarily closed on Saturday morning before reopening around 8am local time.
This major escalation comes at a pivotal diplomatic moment. President Zelensky is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump in Florida on December 28 for talks aimed at finding a path to end the nearly four-year-long conflict. Key issues remain unresolved, including:
- Control over eastern Ukrainian territories.
- The management and security of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
In his statement, Zelensky used the attack to appeal for greater international support. "If Russia turns even the Christmas and New Year period into a time of destroyed homes and burned apartments, of ruined power plants, then this sick activity can only be responded to with truly strong steps," he asserted. "The United States has this capability. Europe has this capability. Many of our partners have this capability. The key is to use it." He specifically called for increased pressure on Russia and enhanced supplies for Ukraine's air defence systems.
