Early Monday morning, Poland scrambled fighter jets after Russia launched powerful airstrikes near the Polish-Ukrainian border in Dnipropetrovsk. The Polish Armed Forces said these emergency steps were taken to protect their airspace and ensure safety in areas close to Ukraine. Several of Poland’s allies also launched aircraft to support the effort.
As Russian missiles and drones flew toward western Ukraine, the Ukrainian Air Force sent out urgent warnings. Sirens went off all over the country, telling people to take shelter right away. The whole country was put on high alert in the early hours.
In Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, the local military administration reported that Russian missiles were targeting the city. Ukraine’s air defense teams worked through the night to shoot them down. Loud explosions were heard as defense systems activated to protect the city and its people.
This marked one of the most serious attacks on western Ukraine in recent months. These strikes were especially alarming because of how close they came to NATO territory, putting neighboring countries like Poland on high watch.
Russian Forces Push Toward Dnipropetrovsk and Kostyantynivka
While the airstrikes were happening in the west, Russia continued its ground attacks in the east. For the first time in over three years of war, the troops are now near the eastern edge of Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region. This area once held more than 3 million people before the war, and its possible capture would be a major change in the conflict.
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Russia’s defense ministry claimed that its forces had moved into this region after reaching the border of Donetsk. Satellite maps shared by the pro-Ukrainian Deep State monitoring group confirmed that Russian troops are now very close to the Dnipropetrovsk border.
They are also closing in on the city of Kostyantynivka, an important hub in the Donetsk region. This city is key for the Ukrainian army because it helps move supplies and troops. Dmytro Zaporozhets, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military, said that Russia is trying to “build a bridgehead for an attack” on the city. That means they are trying to set up strong positions to launch bigger assaults.
Fighting in these regions is getting worse. Russian forces are moving from multiple directions, putting extra pressure on Ukrainian defenses. The battle for this area is likely to be long and intense, as both sides recognize its strategic importance.
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Meanwhile, in the north of Ukraine, Russian forces are also advancing near the city of Sumy. This city is about 200 miles northeast of Kyiv. Russian troops had been driven out of the Sumy region in 2022, but now they appear to be only 18 miles away from the city once again.
The Russian government claimed that its military had retaken the village of Loknia, which had been freed by Ukraine during its spring counteroffensive in 2022. Independent observers confirmed that Russian troops now control Loknia, showing that the northern front is once again becoming active.
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As the fighting intensifies, a serious disagreement has broken out between Russia and Ukraine about returning the bodies of fallen soldiers. Russia accused Ukraine of slowing down the return of bodies of around 12,000 dead Russian troops and delaying prisoner swaps. Ukraine strongly denied this.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia had not even provided the names of more than 1,000 captured Ukrainian soldiers who were supposed to be released. He added that Russia is using this humanitarian issue as part of what he called a “dirty political and information game.” In a video statement, he explained that Ukraine is doing all it can to keep these exchanges moving forward.
This argument shows how even the most basic human needs—like giving families a chance to bury their loved ones—can be used for political purposes during war.