NATO fighter jets were scrambled following one of the most severe missile and drone attacks in the ongoing conflict, launched by Russian forces under Vladimir Putin. Early today, Ukraine faced widespread electricity outages and heating cuts as temperatures plummeted to freezing levels. A significant thermal power plant in Kryvyi Rih, the birthplace of President Volodymyr Zelensky, was directly hit, causing damage to nearby homes.

The Kyiv region was also heavily targeted, with the Bila Tserkva power plant struck and the railway station in Fastiv severely damaged. Vyshhorod experienced critical damage as part of a relentless assault that involved hundreds of drones and hypersonic missiles. Key facilities across Ukraine, including railways and military airfields, were struck in an apparent effort to compel Ukrainians to capitulate to Putin's demands for a detrimental peace deal.

Reports indicate that damage to essential infrastructure was recorded in regions such as Lutsk, Poltava, Rivne, and Chernihiv, with additional hits in Sumy, Cherkasy, Vinnytsia, and Odesa. The scale of the attacks, which involved Tu-95MS and Tu-160MS strategic bombers, prompted Poland to scramble its warplanes amid concerns that the ballistic and cruise missiles could pose a threat to NATO territory.

A statement from the Polish Armed Forces confirmed, "Due to the activity of long-range Russian air forces carrying out strikes on Ukrainian territory, military aviation has begun operating in Polish airspace. The Operational Command has activated the necessary forces and resources at its disposal. Fighter aircraft have been scrambled, and ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have reached a state of readiness. These actions are preventative in nature and aimed at securing and protecting airspace, especially in areas adjacent to the threatened areas."

The Russian strikes coincided with discussions between the US and Ukraine regarding a potential peace deal, involving Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner in Florida. Despite these diplomatic efforts, Putin's focus remains on crippling Ukraine. Tragically, a 12-year-old boy was killed in Dnipro due to the strikes, marking yet another civilian casualty in a conflict that has persisted for nearly four years.

In Kyiv, residents sought refuge in underground metro stations as the situation escalated. In response, Ukraine conducted overnight strikes on a key oil refinery in Russia, aiming to disrupt Putin's oil supplies while avoiding civilian casualties. The Ryazan refinery, one of the largest in Russia and vital to Moscow, was reported to be ablaze. This marked the ninth occasion this year that Ukrainian drones targeted the Ryazan facility.

Concerns are growing that the US may withdraw from the peace process if Putin remains unyielding. Ukraine's military commander, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, acknowledged this challenge but affirmed the country's commitment to resist Russian aggression. "We hope that they will continue to provide full support," he stated. "But we also hope that our European partners and allies, if necessary, will be ready to provide everything necessary for our just war against the aggressor."