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Russia-Ukraine latest: Poland scrambles fighter jets; explosions reported near Ukraine's border with Moldova

Polish and allied aircraft were activated early this morning after Russia launched missile strikes on Ukraine, the Operational Command of the Polish armed forces said. Listen to a Daily podcast on how UK-made cars are getting into Russia as you scroll.

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Explained: How the war has strayed outside Ukraine's borders

Today's discovery of drone fragments on a Romanian farm near the Ukrainian border would not be the first time Russia's invasion has strayed outside Ukraine's borders. 

It's not yet clear whether the drone came from Ukraine, but there have been numerous instances in the past of airborne objects falling in neighbouring countries. 

Perhaps the most concerning was when a missile fell in Poland in 2022, killing two men in a small farming community. 

NATO scrambled to hold an emergency meeting in the aftermath, as Poland is a member of the Western military alliance. 

It was later established the missile was one from Ukraine's air defence that had gone astray. 

Officials from Poland, NATO and the US said they still thought Russia was to blame for the deaths because the Ukrainian missile would not have needed to be used had it not been forced to defend itself against Moscow's invasion.

Last Sunday, Poland demanded an explanation from Russia after one of its missiles strayed briefly into Polish airspace, forcing Warsaw to activate F-16 fighter jets. 

A similar incident happened overnight during a Russian missile strike on western Ukraine, which again saw Polish fighter jets scrambled. 

Back in December 2023, Poland's defence forces said an unknown object had entered the country's airspace from the direction of Ukraine and then vanished off the radars. 

Poland said the object, which travelled 24 miles into its airspace and was there for three minutes, appeared to be a Russian missile. 

Romania has also seen numerous instances of objects from the war crossing its borders. 

Another drone crashed on its territory in December 2023 during an attack on a Ukrainian port. 

Authorities found a 1.5m deep crater in an uninhabited area of eastern Romania.

A separate incident in September saw a drone found on Romanian territory near the Danube river. 

Soon after, fellow NATO member Bulgaria reported finding a kamikaze drone on its territory but could not confirm its origins. 

'Degradation' of Ukraine's air defence system gives Russia upper hand, experts say

The "continued degradation" of Ukraine's air defence system is giving Russia an advantage in the conflict, experts have warned.

"Further degradation" could also allow the Russian air force security along the frontline and allow it to carry out "routine large scale aviation operations" on Ukrainian cities to "devastating effect", the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has warned.

"The continued degradation of Ukraine's air defence umbrella provides one of the most immediate avenues through which Russian forces could generate non-linear operational impacts," the US-based think tank said in its latest report.

"Ukrainian and Western officials have increasingly warned of a critical shortage of air defence missiles in the coming months, and the further degradation of Ukraine's air defence umbrella would not only limit Ukraine's ability to protect critical elements of its war effort in the rear but would also likely afford Russian aviation prolonged secure operation along the frontline.

"This security would allow Russian forces to significantly increase glide bomb strikes at scale and possibly even allow Russian forces to conduct routine large-scale aviation operations against near rear Ukrainian logistics and cities to devastating effect.

"Expanded aviation operations could allow Russian forces to heavily degrade Ukrainian combat capabilities and isolate sectors of the battlefield in support of efforts to make operationally significant gains."

The ISW says further US security assistance - which has been held up amid political debate in Washington - could establish a wider and more stable Ukrainian air defence umbrella that would deny Russian forces these opportunities. 

Romanian authorities say drone fragments found on farm near border with Ukraine

 The Romanian defence ministry says drone fragments have been found on a farm near the border with Ukraine.

They say the farm is located near the Danube river, which separates Ukraine and Romania at Ukraine's southwestern edge.

Several army search teams were sent to the Great Braila Island to investigate, local media said. 

Locals had reportedly heard "strange noises" and shared footage appearing to show the drone falling from the sky. 

"On the evening of 28 March, fragments that appear to have come from an aerial device [drone] on a farmland in the Great Braila Island were identified," the defence ministry said.

"The Ministry of National Defence, together with specialised structures within the national defence system, public order and national security, is conducting an investigation of the incident on Friday 29 March according to specific operational procedures."

Romania is a NATO member, having joined the alliance in 2004.

It comes after authorities in Moldova said three explosions were heard near its border with Ukraine overnight, according to reports in local media.

The explosions appear to have happened in Ukraine's Novodnestrovsk region, just to the north of the Moldovan border, but could be heard from Moldova (see post below).

Ukrainian officials said their forces destroyed 58 Russia-launched attack drones overnight, as well as 26 cruise missiles.

Three explosions reported near Ukrainian border with Moldova

Authorities in Moldova say three explosions were heard near its border with Ukraine overnight, according to reports in local media.

The explosions appear to have happened in Ukraine's Novodnestrovsk region, just to the north of the Moldovan border, but could be heard from Moldova.

Local media, quoting the Moldovan border force, said officials heard the explosions from Ocnita, Otaci, and Soroca.

However, they said Russian missiles did not enter Moldovan airspace. 

"Regarding the information that Russian missiles flew over the airspace of the Republic of Moldova last night, we would like to mention that all airspace surveillance and monitoring systems did not detect any unauthorised entry," the Moldovan border force said in a statement, reported by two local news websites.

They added this had also been confirmed by the Ukrainian authorities.

Context: Moldova, a landlocked former Soviet republic situated between Ukraine and Romania, is not a member of NATO.

It has a constitutional commitment to neutrality.

However, since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, its government has suggested shifting position towards closer ties with NATO. It also began ascension talks with the EU in December last year.

Ukraine's foreign minister says India's ties to Russia 'based on fading Soviet legacy'

Yesterday, we brought you news that Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba was on a diplomatic visit to New Delhi.

India, which has a long-standing trading relationship with Moscow, has remained neutral in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the need for peace talks, India has refused to condemn Russia's February 2022 invasion, and has significantly increased its purchases of Russian oil since.

Mr Kuleba arrived in New Delhi yesterday to advance Kyiv's vision of the path to peace - which for Ukraine starts with the return of its territory - as well as to strengthen ties with India.

According to the Financial Times, Mr Kuleba urged India to stand by Kyiv, saying the nation's close ties with Russia were based on an evaporating Soviet legacy.

He also reportedly suggested that New Delhi had much to gain from expanding trade and technology ties with Ukraine and offered Indian companies a role in postwar reconstruction.

"We are interested in importing some of the heavy machinery items that India is producing," he said, according to the FT.

Ukraine hopes to hold a summit of world leaders without Russian participation in the coming months to advance its blueprint for peace, which calls among other things for the withdrawal of Russian troops from its territory.

Russia has dismissed the Ukrainian diplomatic initiative as a non-starter. 

Ukraine's air force chief says Russia launched 'powerful' air attack on 'energy sector'

More now coming through on the overnight drone and missile attack on Ukraine.

Ukraine's air force says it destroyed 58 Russia-launched attack drones overnight as well as 26 cruise missiles.

The air force chief described the attack as a "powerful missile and air strike" and said Russia had targeted the country's "fuel and energy sector".

Russia attacks three thermal power plants in Ukraine

Three thermal power plants of Ukraine's largest private power firm DTEK were attacked by Russia overnight, according to the company.

DTEK said some of their equipment was "severely damaged" in the attack.

"After the attack ended, the power engineers promptly started to repair the damage," the company said on the Telegram messaging app. 

Ukrainian power grid operator Ukrenergo also said that both thermal and hydropower plants had been damaged in missile and drone attacks.

"During the night, the Russians struck again at energy facilities in a massive and combined attack," Ukrenergo said on the Telegram messaging app. 

"Thermal and hydroelectric power plants in the central and western regions were damaged," it said.

Ukrenergo noted that emergency shutdowns were applied in the country's southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region. 

Poland scrambles fighter jets after Russia launches missile strikes on western Ukraine

Early this morning, Polish and allied aircraft were scrambled after Russia launched missile strikes on Ukraine, the Operational Command of the Polish armed forces said. 

"Polish and allied aircraft are operating in Polish airspace, which may result in increased noise levels, especially in the southeastern part of the country," it said on social media platform X.

The southeastern part of Poland borders Ukraine. 

Poland also scrambled jets on 24 March during a missile and drone attack on western Ukraine to "ensure the safety of Polish airspace".

Good morning

Welcome back to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine. 

Before we resume our live coverage, here is a quick recap of some of the key developments over the last 24 hours.

  • Russia claimed it had evidence that the gunmen who killed more than 140 people in an attack on a Moscow concert hall last week were linked to "Ukrainian nationalists" - without presenting the evidence;
  • The White House dismissed Russia's allegation as "nonsense";
  • Actor Steven Seagal - who once hailed Vladimir Putin as "one of the great living world leaders" - was pictured in Russia, visiting the victims of the Moscow terror attack;
  • A Russian military aircraft crashed into the sea off the Crimean port of Sevastopol;
  • Discussions about a possible prisoner exchange involving the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich should be completed "in silence", the Kremlin said. 
We're pausing our coverage

That's the end of our live updates and analysis for this evening, but we'll be back with more tomorrow.