Ukraine-Russia war latest: Poland scrambles jets as Putin attacks Kyiv with jet-powered drones
Poland scrambled fighter jets in the early hours of Tuesday as it responded to Russia's latest attack on Ukraine involving jet-powered drones. Ukraine’s Air Force issued several warnings to Ukrainians, asking them to seek shelter as Russian forces fired jet-powered drones across all of Ukraine. It remains unclear how many drones were fired but at least some of them likely travelled beyond Ukraine's borders, with a Nato fighter jet shooting down a drone in Lithuania shortly after midnight on Tuesday. Lithuanian officials said the drone likely entered from Belarus and was shot down near Pratkunai village in southern Lithuania, near Kaunas. A drone alert was issued earlier in the capital Vilnius and surrounding region. Military drones straying into the airspace of Russia's neighbours have stoked concerns that Russia's war in Ukraine is spilling over Nato's borders. This comes as Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv was ready to support a US-led proposal for a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire protecting energy sites – but only if Washington could ensure Moscow was genuinely ready to comply.North Korea's Kim vows to expand ties with Russia North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he would "expand and deepen" joint work with Russia in a message to Russian president Vladimir Putin, state media KCNA reported this morning. In a reply sent on Monday to Putin's congratulations for North Korea's 78th founding anniversary, Kim said Pyongyang's government had a firm will to broaden cooperation with Russia "in a comprehensive way" based on friendship, mutual assistance, and what he described as the countries' alliance relations. Kim also said he was convinced of Russia's victory in the current "sacred war for defending the security interests of the country and international justice", language that appeared to refer to Russia's war in Ukraine. He pledged his "invariable support" for Putin and the Russian people. The remarks come as Moscow and Pyongyang have drawn markedly closer, with North Korea sending troops to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine in 2024 and deepening military cooperation under a mutual defence pact. Arpan Rai15 September 2026 05:46Animal rescuers severely injured in Russian drone attack while saving dogs in Ukraine Ruslan Horbal, a volunteer for Animal Rescue Kharkiv (ARK), was on a rescue mission in Ukraine’s war-torn eastern city of Kramatorsk, when a Russian drone hit the vehicle, killing one of the rescued dogs. He had only just gathered the animals into the back of the car when the attack took place. “It happened very fast. There was an explosion, smoke and glass everywhere,” recalls Mr Horbal, who was hospitalised after the attack, in an interview with The Independent. “At first, I was confused. It took me a moment to understand what had happened. Then I started checking if everyone was alive and if the animals were OK. That’s when I realised I was badly injured too. There was a lot of blood.” Arpan Rai15 September 2026 05:17Russia hits petrol station and warehouse facilities in Kyiv, mayor says A drone hit a petrol station in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv in the early hours today, mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app, The attack comes after US president Donald Trump said on Monday that Ukraine and Russia had agreed not to hit each other's energy targets. Russia has recently started hitting petrol stations in Kyiv, expanding the range of target facilities. In recent months, Russia hit some 300 petrol stations, mainly in or near Ukraine's frontline regions. Arpan Rai15 September 2026 04:52Zelensky says Ukraine will support energy ceasefire as 'first step' to end war Volodymyr Zelensky has said Kyiv was ready to support a US-led proposal for a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire protecting energy sites – but only if Washington could ensure Moscow was genuinely ready to end its war. Zelensky made his comments in his nightly video address after US president Donald Trump said that Ukraine and Russia had both agreed not to hit each other's energy targets. “If this can become the first de-escalatory step, a step towards ending Russian strikes against our critical infrastructure and our strikes in response, Ukraine is ready to support de-escalation,” Zelensky said. "So far, no one has seen any genuine willingness on Russia's part to bring the war to an end. But if our American partners can secure Russia's genuine readiness to end the war aimed at destroying lives, and to do so honestly and on a long-term basis, Ukraine will take its own de-escalatory steps,” Zelensky said. Arpan Rai15 September 2026 04:40Drone attack damages industrial facility in Russia's Samara region A drone attack has damaged an industrial facility in the Russian Samara region on the Volga River, governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said on Telegram, without naming the facility. The region is home to a number of large oil refineries. Arpan Rai15 September 2026 04:28Missile attack damages Ozon warehouse in Russia's Taganrog A missile attack has damaged a warehouse of Russian e-commerce company Ozon in the port city of Taganrog in Russia's south, regional governor Yuri Slyusar said on Telegram. He added that a gas pipe and a few residential buildings were also hit. Arpan Rai15 September 2026 04:06Nato fighter jet shoots down drone in Lithuania A Nato fighter jet shot down a drone in Lithuania shortly after midnight on Tuesday, the Lithuanian national crisis management centre said. The drone, which likely entered from Belarus, was shot down near Pratkunai village in southern Lithuania, near Kaunas, the second-largest city, the centre's spokesperson said. Its origin is yet to be determined, he said. A drone alert was issued earlier in the capital Vilnius and surrounding region. Fighters with the Nato Baltic Air Defence mission have patrolled the skies of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia since the Baltic countries joined the alliance in 2004. The mission's jets shot down stray Ukrainian drones over Estonia in May, and Latvia in June and August. Military drones straying into the airspace of Russia's neighbours have stoked concerns that Russia's war in Ukraine is spilling over Nato's borders. Arpan Rai15 September 2026 03:55Poland scrambles jets amid Russian drone attacks on Ukraine Poland has commenced military aviation operations in the early hours of Tuesday as a preventive measure to secure its airspace, amid Russian jet-powered drone attacks on Ukraine, Poland's Armed Forces said in a statement on social media website X. Arpan Rai15 September 2026 03:53 Bryony Gooch15 September 2026 03:00 Bryony Gooch15 September 2026 02:00
