Poland and Romania scramble jets as Russian strikes hit western Ukraine

Poland and Romania activated air policing assets overnight after a wave of Russian drone and missile strikes on western Ukraine triggered radar alerts and precautionary measures along NATO’s eastern flank.  

The attacks, which severely hit the Ternopil, Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, killed at least 25 people and injured 73, including children, according to Ukrainian authorities. 

The Polish Operational Command said it launched quick reaction alert fighter pairs and an airborne early warning aircraft and raised ground-based air and radar defenses to their highest readiness after Russian forces carried out strikes on targets close to Polish territory.  

The measures, described as preventive, were implemented to secure the national airspace during the unfolding attack. No violation of Polish airspace was detected. 

Poland expressed thanks to NATO, NATO Air Command, the Royal Norwegian Air Force, the Spanish Air Force, and the Royal Netherlands Air Force for supporting the country’s air surveillance under the Eastern Sentry mission. The Polish military also thanked Germany for the Patriot batteries deployed to reinforce national air defense. 

Romania detects airspace breach by Russian drone

Romania also responded overnight, detecting the signal of a drone entering its national airspace amid Russian strikes near the Danube border. 

The Romanian Ministry of Defense said two German Eurofighter Typhoons operating from Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base under reinforced air policing took off at 00:25 local time on November 19. The scramble followed an alert message sent five minutes earlier for northern Tulcea County, after radar systems detected a drone flying approximately eight kilometers into Romanian territory from Vâlcov toward Periprava and Chilia Veche. 

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The drone disappeared from radar, then reappeared intermittently for about 12 minutes along a route stretching from Colibași in Moldova to Foltești, and subsequently to the Oancea area of Romania. A second Ro-Alert was issued for northern Galați County at 00:59. In parallel, two Romanian Air Force F-16 fighters from the 71st Air Base in Câmpia Turzii were scrambled. 

The German Eurofighters returned to Mihail Kogălniceanu at 01:50, while the Romanian F-16s landed back at their base shortly after 02:30. No impact of any aerial object on Romanian territory was reported, and specialist teams remain prepared to conduct field searches if required. 

The incident fits a pattern of intermittent drone intrusions and debris falls along NATO’s eastern border during major Russian strike waves against Ukraine, including previous events in Romania, Poland, and Moldova. 

Deadly Russian strikes hit western Ukraine 

The overnight Russian attack that involved 476 drones and 48 missiles caused significant destruction in Ternopil, Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions. Ukrainian authorities said about 50 rescuers and more than 100 vehicles were working across nine active locations.  

The Ternopil region in western Ukraine suffered the heaviest impact, with damage spanning multiple floors of two nine-story residential buildings. Drone and missile strikes killed 25 people, including three children, and injured at least 73. Industrial and critical infrastructure sites were also damaged. 

Footage emerges of a Russian missile hitting an apartment building in Ternopil.According to the latest data, 25 people were killed in the Russian attack on Ternopil, including three children. Another 73 people were injured, including 15 children. pic.twitter.com/nTs1GEENlR— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 19, 2025

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had struck peaceful cities and targeted civilian housing, education facilities, and essential infrastructure, adding that the objective remained to inflict maximum civilian casualties and destruction. 

“Russia must be held accountable for what it has done, and we must be focused on everything that strengthens us and allows us to shoot down Russian missiles, neutralize Russian drones, and stop assaults,” Zelenskyy said. 

On November 18, 2025, the US State Department approved a possible $105 million ‘Foreign Military Sale’ to Ukraine covering Patriot system sustainment, launcher upgrades, spare parts, and support services. The package, led by RTX and Lockheed Martin, is intended to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to maintain and operate its existing Patriot batteries, which remain central to defending cities targeted in Russia’s ongoing strike campaign. The post Poland and Romania scramble jets as Russian strikes hit western Ukraine appeared first on AeroTime.

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