Putin unleashes huge onslaught of 500 missiles & drones in night of hell for Ukraine as Nato warplanes scrambled
Nato was forced to scramble its warplanes after the Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk was hit in an apocalyptic blast which turned the skies a crimson red overnight.
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The city was attacked by Putin's forces with cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, and Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones simultaneously.
Four Kinzhal and seven Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles were also fired at Ukraine.
Putin ordered his Tu-95 strategic bombers and MiG aircraft to carry out the heinous air assaults.
It was the most powerful blitz on the city since the start of the war back in 2022.
Ukraine claimed to have downed 475 out of 537 aerial targets.
Poland's operational command quickly announced that Nato fighter jets were scrambled because of the intensity of the Russian onslaught.
They said in a statement: "Due to the attack by the Russian Federation carrying out strikes on objects located in the territory of Ukraine, Polish and allied aviation has begun operating in our airspace.
"The Operational Commander of the [armed forces] has activated all available forces and resources at his disposal.
"The on-duty fighter pairs have been scrambled, and the ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have reached the highest state of readiness.
"The steps taken are aimed at ensuring security in the areas bordering the threatened areas."
Putin also mounted attacks across much of Ukraine in what is reported to be one of the heaviest bombardments of the three year conflict so far.
A missile strike on Zaporizhzhia left an industrial facility on fire.
Mykolaiv and Donetsk region were also both badly hit.
The Russians targeted Lviv in western Ukraine as well.
Mayor Andriy Sadovyi said Russian forces attempted to strike critical infrastructure, but no civilians or residential buildings were damaged.
A Ukrainian F-16 supersonic fighter supplied by the West was shot down with the loss of a 'hero' pilot amid a desperate operation to counter 500-plus strikes by Vladimir Putin's forces.
Pilot Lt-Col Maksym Ustimenko, born in 1993, shot down seven air targets using all his weapons before he was hit.
'The pilot used the entire complex of on-board weapons, and shot down seven air targets,' said the Ukrainian air force.
'During the last exercise, his plane was damaged and began to lose altitude.
'Maksym Ustimenko did everything possible, took the plane away from a settlement, but did not have time to eject...
'He died like a Hero!'
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