NATO jets scramble in Poland and Romania as Russia pounds Ukraine

NATO fighter jets were scrambled in Poland and Romania overnight into Wednesday in response to Russia's latest wave of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, with no airspace violations reported by either allied nation. Ukraine's air force reported Russia launched 161 drones and an unspecified number of cruise missiles, with air defenses intercepting 119 drones and three missiles across 18 locations. Poland scrambled jets for about an hour, while Romania deployed two F-16s after an aerial target maneuvered near its border. Such NATO scrambles have become routine amid Russian strikes, with drones previously entering allied airspace. Russia denied responsibility for violations, while Moscow claimed its forces downed 514 Ukrainian drones overnight across 17 regions. Ukrainian officials reported casualties in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr, and Kharkiv regions.