NATO was forced to scramble war planes overnight for a second day in a row as Russia unleashed another wave of devastating strikes on Ukraine, leaving a city in flames and buildings blown to pieces.
The attack on oil and port facilities in Izmail, Odesa region – less than one mile from NATO territory – has cast doubt on Vladimir Putin’s commitment to peace even as the White House seeks to broker an urgent meeting between the Russian dictator and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. “Two Typhoon aircraft belonging to the German Air Force, deployed at the 57th Air Base Mihail Kogălniceanu to carry out enhanced air policing missions, were scrambled to monitor the air situation in the border area with Ukraine, in the north of Tulcea County,” said a statement from the Romanian air force.
Sumy OVA/east2west news)
It is the second time in three days that allied planes have been scrambled in precautionary moves due to the intensity of Russian strikes. “The [Romanian] Ministry of National Defence’s air surveillance system identified groups of drones launched by the Russian Federation, which attacked Ukrainian ports on the Danube. During the mission, no airborne vehicles were recorded entering national airspace.”
The war planes later returned to base. The statement said: “Close cooperation with allies in enhanced air policing missions strengthens Romania’s defence capability and contributes to the deterrence and defence posture on NATO’s eastern flank.”
The attacks came despite Donald Trump’s claims that Putin had agreed to peace talks with Volodymyr Zelensky. The US President later said he was arranging to have Zelensky and Putin in the same room within two weeks for talks aimed at ending the war.
Tump announced the move on Truth Social, saying: “At the conclusion of the meetings, I called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelensky. After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself.”
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