Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday pushed for a common air defence system with Kyiv's European allies as he accused Russia of "deliberately targeting" neighbouring Poland by flying drones through its airspace in an overnight attack.
Poland said it downed several Russian drones that Moscow had fired towards Ukraine in its latest overnight barrage, an incident that drew widespread condemnation and warnings from the NATO member's allies.
Zelensky said it showed the need for a combined Ukraine-Europe air defence shield.
"Ukraine has long proposed to its partners the creation of a joint air defence system to ensure the guaranteed downing of 'Shaheds', other drones, and missiles through the combined strength of our combat aviation and air defences," Zelensky said on social media.
Russia has fired tens of thousands of drones at Ukraine in overnight attacks throughout the three-year-war, escalating its aerial barrages as peace talks have stuttered.
The Ukrainian leader said the violation of Poland's airspace was a "dangerous precedent" for Europe, saying it was "no accident".
"There have been previous incidents of individual Russian drones crossing the border and travelling a short distance into neighbouring countries. But this time, we are recording a much larger scale and deliberate targeting," he said on social media.
He urged Kyiv's allies to issue a strong response to the attack, which he called an attempt to "humiliate" EU and NATO member Poland.
"Russia must feel that the response to this escalatory step, and even more so to an attempt to humiliate one of Europe's key countries, will be clear and strong from all partners," Zelensky said.
Kyiv has been pushing Washington and Brussels to advance hard-hitting sanctions on Russia that would hobble its ability to attack Ukraine.
Zelensky says at least eight drones targeted Poland
Zelensky said that at least eight Russian drones were aimed towards Poland during Russian attacks overnight.
Poland shot down drones that entered its airspace during a widespread Russian attack in western Ukraine on Wednesday, believed to be the first time a member of the alliance has fired shots in the war. Poland called the incursion "an act of aggression".
"Today there was another step of escalation – Russian-Iranian 'shaheds' operated in the airspace of Poland, in NATO airspace," Zelensky wrote on X, referring to Iranian-made drones widely used by Russia.
"It was not just one 'shahed' that could be called an accident, but at least eight strike drones aimed toward Poland," Zelensky wrote.
A total of around 415 drones and more than 40 missiles were deployed in the attack on Ukraine, which spanned 15 Ukrainian regions, killed one person in the Zhytomyr region and injured three more in Khmelnytskyi region, he said.
Ukraine's air force said it shot down 386 of 415 drones and 27 of 43 missiles launched overnight. It recorded impacts of 16 missiles and 21 drones at 17 locations.
The Netherlands' air force provided support in shooting down Russian drones over Poland overnight, Prime Minister Dick Schoof said on Wednesday.
"It is good that Dutch F35 fighter jets were able to provide support," he said on X. "The Netherlands stands shoulder to shoulder with our NATO ally Poland."
Officials in the central region of Vinnytsia said civilian industrial sites were struck. In the western Volyn region, emergency services said they put out a fire which spanned 1,000 square meters.
Following the attack, foreign minister Andrii Sybiha called on neighbouring countries to use their air defence to intercept aerial targets over Ukraine.
"Ukraine has suggested such step for a long time. It needs to be taken for the sake of collective security," Sybiha wrote on X.
However, a Russian diplomat said on Wednesday that Poland had not given any evidence that the drones shot down in Poland were of Russian origin, Russia's RIA state news agency reported.
"We see the accusations as groundless. No evidence that these drones are of Russian origin has been presented," Andrey Ordash, Russia's charge d'affaires in Poland, was quoted as saying.