Polish air operations return to normal following Nato response to Russian strikes

Military operations over Polish airspace have returned to routine after Nato warplanes were scrambled in response to a Russian bombardment near the Polish border.

The strikes, reportedly carried out by Russia's Tu-22 and Tu-95 strategic bombers, targeted critical energy infrastructure in Ukraine during one of the coldest weeks of winter.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Russian forces launched more than 40 missiles during the morning attack and used more than 70 drones overnight.

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The onslaught was seen as retaliation for Ukraine's aerial strikes on Russian territory, which reportedly used British Storm Shadow and American Atacms missiles to hit key defence facilities, including a chemical plant in Bryansk, a city 400km away from Moscow.

Poland's Armed Forces Operational Command (Dowództwo Operacyjne) said on X that air defence systems and radar reconnaissance, which had been activated, have now returned to standard operational status.

"No violation of Polish airspace has been observed," the post stated.

Meanwhile, Nato has announced a new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region.

The initiative comes amid heightened fears of Russian sabotage and espionage following a series of incidents in the strategically vital area.