**NATO Jets Scrambled as Putin Unleashes Devastating Assault on Ukraine**

NATO fighter jets have been deployed following a severe attack on Ukraine by Russian forces, resulting in multiple casualties, including a 12-year-old girl. The assault, which involved the use of Tu-95MS strategic bombers, targeted various locations, particularly the capital city, Kyiv.

Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, reported that the body of a girl was discovered in the debris of a residential area in the Solomianskyi district. The attack on a cardiology institute in Kyiv claimed two lives, while harrowing footage captured a drone strike on a shopping centre in Bila Tserkva, leading to at least 27 injuries in the capital alone.

In Zaporizhzhia, at least 21 individuals were injured due to six separate strikes. Among the victims were two children. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia launched approximately 500 drones and 40 missiles during the assault, which included Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missiles and lasted around 12 hours.

In response to the escalating situation, Poland's operational commander ordered the scrambling of its own and NATO fighter jets near the Ukrainian border. A statement from the Polish Armed Forces confirmed, "Due to the activity of long-range Russian air forces conducting strikes on Ukrainian territory, Polish and allied air forces have begun operating in our airspace." The statement further noted that these actions were preventative, aimed at securing airspace and protecting citizens in vulnerable areas.

Ukrainian emergency services reported that civilians were specifically targeted during the attack, contradicting claims made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who asserted that civilians were never harmed. The assault on Kyiv resulted in damage to residential buildings and civilian infrastructure across several districts, including Solomianskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, Holosiivskyi, Darnytskyi, and Dniprovskyi.

The early morning attack also struck a five-storey building, causing a fire on the third and fourth floors. Emergency services confirmed that firefighters were able to rescue three individuals, while the body of the 12-year-old girl was recovered from the rubble.

In addition to the strikes in Kyiv, Russian forces targeted a cardiology institute, a wine factory in Odesa, and a children’s education facility. Reports indicate that 50 workers were evacuated from the wine plant. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated, "The fire in the state medical institution building has been extinguished. Rescuers found the bodies of two deceased there. Five people were saved."

Russian sources also reported that two Kinzhal hypersonic missiles struck fortified storage facilities for Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets at the Starokostiantyniv airbase in the Khmelnytskyi region, further escalating the conflict.