Putin unleashes ‘one of biggest air attacks’ on Ukraine with 120 missiles & 90 drones as Poland scrambles fighter jets

VLADIMIR Putin has launched "one of the largest" air attacks of the Ukraine war so far with 120 missiles and 90 drones.

The deadly overnight strikes by Russia targeted "sleeping civilians" and energy infrastructure - with Poland scrambling its fighter jets.

President Volodymyr Zelensky blasted Putin's assault as a massive combined strike on "all regions" of the war-torn country - causing multiple blackouts.

As winter approaches, Ukrainian authorities fear Vlad is aiming to wipe out key power networks to cripple the economy and break the spirits of the brave civilians.

Cruise, ballistic and aeroballistic missiles were all reportedly launched by the Russian despot.

The drones used also included Iranian-made Shaheds.

Zelensky said his troops managed to destroy over 140 of the Russian weapons - as he branded Putin's fighters as "terrorists".

The president said two women died and another six were injured in the region of Mykolaiv, including two children.

The hit on the southern Ukrainian city targeted a multi-storey building, car parks and a shopping centre, Ukraine's state emergency service said.

Another woman was tragically killed in Lviv after falling debris smashed through her car and killed her almost instantly.

Two workers were also found dead following strikes in Ukraine's central Dnipro region.

Missiles directly hit the local rail depot leaving another three people wounded.

After the first attacks, Poland, Ukraine's Nato neighbour, scrambled several fighter jets to patrol its airspace.

Poland's Operational Command said it was a security precaution and its staff had reached the "highest state of readiness".

Romania is also said to have deployed jets of their own.

Several other cities were badly hit in the attacks early on Sunday morning.

Harrowing images from a metro station in the capital of Kyiv show scared civilians forced to stay underground as air sirens sounded across the city.

People were seen sleeping on the floor and even holding their pets tight as the sounds of blasts pulsated nearby.

Emergency blackouts hit Kyiv as well as two other regions in the east.

Kyiv's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha described Putin as a "war criminal" for ordering the attacks.

He described the assault as "one of the largest" of the war so far.

"Russia launched one of the largest air attacks: drones and missiles against peaceful cities, sleeping civilians, critical infrastructure," he said.

"This is war criminal Putin’s true response to all those who called and visited him recently.

"We need peace through strength, not appeasement."

The foreign minister made the comments after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called up the Russian tyrant in a widely condemned move.

Zelensky said the call has opened a "Pandora's box" as Germany - a proud Nato nation - has undermined the efforts to stop Putin's war.

The overnight attacks are believed to be the most damaging and extensive since early September, according to authorities.

They involved around 20 Russian Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers.

As they flew overhead conventional Kh-101 and Zircon missiles were dropped on Ukrainian targets.

Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and Russian-guided bombs were also recorded, according to Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov.

Ukraine's heroic air defences included anti-aircraft missile troops and several F-16 fighter jets, Zelesnky said.

Reports also claim that some of Putin's weaponry ended up "very close to Hungary".

Moscow's rocket attacks reached the Zakarpattia Oblast region which is one of the furthest away from Russia, Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko said.

Russia confirmed it had been attacking Ukrainian energy resources overnight, local media reports.