NATO warplanes scrambled as Putin fired a wave of missiles towards Poland's border in a massive new attack on Ukraine

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NATO warplanes were seen as Putin fired a terrifying wave of missiles towards the Polish border.

The latest chilling attacks are part of a massive new Russian assault on Ukraine.

Russia has hit Ukraine with a new series of chilling attacks

Emergency services battled fires and debris caused by the strikesCredit: East2West

A residential block in Kiev was set on fireCredit: East2West

At least three NATO F-16s were left behind in the latest Russian attackCredit: AP

At least three F-16s were seen as Russia fired several missiles towards NATO's border with Ukraine, reports say.

Harrowing images of the attacks show a residential block in Kiev on fire as a fire rages through the building.

The attacks killed one person and seriously injured at least ten others: nine in Kiev and one in Kharkiv.

Across Kiev, more than 20,000 people were left without electricity as they fought alongside emergency services to clear rubble from buildings and extinguish fires.

According to reports, Russia used eleven TU-95MS strategic bombers in the devastating attacks. in addition to six TU-22M3 aircraft.

Ukrainian Air Defense Forces said they destroyed 24 Russian missiles after the attacks.

A Ukrainian drone factory in Mykolaiv was hit alongside a stifling barrage of attacks on Kiev and Kharkiv.

The Russian missiles were believed to have been flying over Ukraine and heading towards Poland when they triggered the ambush.

The Operational Command of the Armed Forces of Poland said: “Intensive long-range aviation activities of the Russian Federation are observed as a result of missile attacks on Ukrainian territory.

“All necessary procedures aimed at ensuring the safety of Polish airspace have been launched.”

NATO continued to say that Poland was “continuously monitoring the situation.”

“We warn you that Polish and allied aircraft have been activated, which may lead to increased noise levels, especially in the southeast of the country,” NATO continued.

Poland sent the three F-16s into the air out of fear of a possible Russian threat, according to Ukrainian media.

Smoke was seen coming from buildings in Kiev after five explosions were heard in Ukraine's capital.

A nationwide air raid siren was issued in Ukraine, sending warnings to residents to be aware of the damage caused.

Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klychko said: “Explosions in the city. Air defenses are working. Stay in bomb shelters!

“An apartment building caught fire in the Holosiivsky district. Firefighters and rescue units are on their way to the scene of the accident.

“And in the Dnipro district of the capital, two people are currently injured. Both were treated by doctors on the spot.”

According to reports, a car repair shop was also hit by an explosion.

The rockets entered Kiev in several powerful waves coming from all different directions, spokesman Sergei Popko said.

Kharkov was then hit by at least four explosions that tore through the already devastated city.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said: “We have information about non-residential areas that have been affected. As for the injured, clarification is underway.”

Olena Kurylo was forced to hide in her bathroom as the rockets exploded around her.

She told reporters shortly after the explosions: “My phone is exploding with new missile warnings. My mind is numb with fear for my daughter and everyone in town.

“I try to stay calm, but then another rocket comes right towards us, and I hear the whistle of death very close.

“There are no words to describe what you feel, just the whole body starts to shake. This is the state I'm in, I'm sending you messages with my shaking fingers, not knowing if this could be my last message.

Rockets also hit Lviv, Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk, making the latest attack one of the worst since the start of the war.

In Mykolaiv, the Ocean factory, where kamikaze naval drones were reportedly made, was reportedly targeted along with a warehouse of ammunition.

U.S. Ambassador to Kyiv Bridget A Brink said: “Now in Kiev and across the country, men, women and children woke up to another massive Russian missile and drone attack.

“We rely on Ukraine's air defenses – and its heroic air defenders – to protect us all. There's no time to lose. Ukraine needs our security help now.”

Russia later claimed that the attacks on residential buildings were due to Ukrainian air defenses.

This comes after NATO plans unveiled for its largest military exercises Since the end of the Cold War, 32 countries will prepare for a Russian attack.

Steadfast defender 2024 is now underway across thousands of miles of Europe, as armadas, fighter jet fleets and 90,000 troops conduct land, sea, air, cyber and space operations.

In a sobering moment NATO During today's briefing, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), Brigadier General Gunnar Bruegner, said the “clock is ticking”.

Without mentioning Russia by name, he said NATO must prove that it is “ready” for any threat to its security.

“Every exercise matters. The big picture is deterrence,” the military chief added.

Bruegner's comments come amid a wave of recent warnings from top military chiefs and policymakers about the threat of large-scale war with Russia the coming years.