Ukraine blames Russia for alleged ‘missile strike’ on Poland
NATO “needs to act,” Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky claimed on Tuesday as he laid the blame for an explosion in Poland not far from the Ukrainian border on Russia. Earlier, Polish media reported that at least two people died in what was described as a “stray missile” strike.
“This is a Russian missile strike on collective security!” Zelensky said in a statement, calling it “a very serious escalation.” He also urged western nations to put Russia “in its place” and branded the country as “terrorist."
“The longer Russia feels impunity the higher is the threat for anyone within the reach of Russian missiles,” the Ukrainian president warned, thought he did not provide evidence proving it was Russian missiles that struck Poland.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Polish government convened an emergency meeting over the incident. The Polish authorities did not provide any details about the nature of what they called a “crisis situation.” A government spokesman, Piotr Mueller, called on the media and the public “not to publish unconfirmed information.”
According to Polish media, at least two people died in an explosion that hit a grain drier facility in the Polish town of Przewodow located not far from the Ukrainian border. Some media then claimed that the blast was caused by a missile strike.
AP reported, citing an unnamed US intelligence official, that Russian missiles crossed into Poland. The Pentagon then stated it “has no information” to corroborate such reports, adding that it is aware of the situation and would look further into it.
The Russian Defense Ministry denied any responsibility for the incident by saying that the nation’s military did not strike any targets near the Polish-Ukrainian border. It also branded the Polish media reports a “provocation.”
The incident came amid large-scale Russian missile strikes targeting several Ukrainian regions, which the Ukrainian energy minister called the “most massive shelling” of the nation’s energy infrastructure since the start of the conflict between Kiev and Moscow.
The incident came ahead of an upcoming seventh ‘Ramstein’ meeting, where Ukraine’s western backers usually discuss military aid and new arms deliveries to Kiev.
