Nato warplanes were scrambled overnight because of a major Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.

Poland launched fighter jets to defend its skies as Russian strikes targeted areas of western Ukraine close to the Polish border, Warsaw’s military said on Wednesday morning.

The operational commander “activated all available forces and resources at his disposal” as air defence and radar systems were put on the highest state of readiness, the military added.

Russia fired 117 missiles and drones at energy facilities in Kharkiv, as well as the western Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, Ukraine’s air force said, adding that 77 of these were shot down. Some sites were hit, it said.