Russian missile strikes Polish territory; Poland raises air defense alert

Published Jul 30, 12:08 PM UTC

On July 30, 2026, Russia launched one of its largest missile attacks on Ukraine, firing 20-22 Kh-101 cruise missiles from Tu-95MS bombers. One missile entered Polish airspace and struck territory nearly 100 kilometers from the Polish-Ukrainian border. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk convened an urgent crisis management meeting. The Polish Air Force raised combat readiness for F-16s (15-minute alert), MiG-29s, Saab 340 early warning aircraft, Mi-24 helicopters, and ground-based air defense systems, including Dutch Patriot systems. An Airbus A330 MRTT refueling aircraft was also deployed. No casualties were reported. The incident followed a meeting between Tusk and Ukrainian President Zelensky, who had warned of the attack. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called for an 'air shield' over Ukraine as a Euro-Atlantic priority.