In the early hours of February 26, Russian forces initiated a combined strike against Ukraine, marking another escalation in the ongoing conflict. Reports indicate that cruise missiles have already entered Ukrainian airspace, with the first sightings occurring around 5:25 AM.
Monitoring channels reported that strategic bombers, including the Tu-95MS and Tu-160, were deployed for these attacks. These aircraft are typically utilized for such operations against Ukraine. While official confirmation of the bombers’ deployment was lacking, the presence of missiles was quickly noted as they traversed the Sumy region, initially heading towards Chernihiv, Poltava, and Cherkasy.
As of 5:46 AM, air raid alerts were issued across nearly all of Ukraine, reflecting the widespread nature of the threat. The alert map indicated a significant risk to civilian areas.
This recent assault follows a similar combined attack just a few days prior, on February 22. That strike resulted in damage to several cities, including Kyiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kirovohrad, Poltava, and Cherkasy, with residential buildings, businesses, and energy infrastructure among the targets.
For further details on the impact of the previous attack, additional reports are available.
Russia has launched a new combined attack on Ukraine, deploying cruise missiles and strategic bombers. This follows a similar assault just days earlier, underscoring the ongoing conflict's intensity and the threat to civilian areas across the country.