Missile that hit Polish village likely came from Ukraine — US officials
Initial findings, according to three US officials, indicate that the missile that struck Poland on Tuesday and killed two people was fired by Ukrainian forces to intercept an approaching Russian missile, AP and dpa news agencies reported Wednesday. The Ukrainians were caught in a heavy-handed attack on their electrical infrastructure by Russian forces. The White House was cautious in its response and did not attribute responsibility for the missile. The officials who said it was likely a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile targeting an incoming Russian missile spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
‘Unlikely’ Missile Launched From Russia — Biden
US President Joe Biden met NATO and G7 leaders in emergency talks after a blast in Poland that killed two. Biden said there was an agreement to support the Poland investigation and told reporters “I’m going to make sure we understand exactly what happened.” When asked if a missile could have been fired from Russia, Biden said: “There is preliminary information that disputes that, I don’t want to say until we fully investigate.” Biden then said it was “unlikely” that it was launched from Russia, judging by the trajectory.
NATO and G7 leaders pledge to continue supporting Ukraine
Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure were condemned in a joint statement issued by NATO and G7 leaders on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali. The explosion in the eastern part of Poland was discussed with a determination to fully support and assist the ongoing Polish investigation. The leaders agreed to maintain “close contact to determine appropriate next steps as the investigation progresses.” Support for Ukraine was reaffirmed, including a readiness to “hold Russia accountable for its brazen attacks on Ukrainian communities.”
The head of the UN is “very concerned” about the explosion in Poland
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “deeply concerned by reports of a rocket explosion on Polish soil,” the UN said in a statement. According to the statement, Guterres stressed that it is “absolutely necessary to avoid the escalation of the war in Ukraine.” Guterres expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and hoped for a thorough investigation.
Two people are confirmed dead near the Polish-Ukrainian border: DW’s Teri Schultz
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Blinken pledges “close coordination” with Poland and Ukraine
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said he called the foreign ministers of Poland and Ukraine “regarding the explosion in eastern Poland” and “committed to remain in close coordination in the coming days as the investigation progresses and we determine appropriate next steps.” “ The comments on Twitter followed an earlier statement released by the White House in which President Joe Biden offered condolences and full support and assistance to Poland’s investigation into the “explosion” in eastern Ukraine.
Poland’s position will be presented to the UN Security Council
Poland’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Krzysztof Szczerski, said Poland’s position would be presented to the UN Security Council. “On Wednesday, at the afternoon session of the UN Security Council, I will present the Polish position on the current situation,” Szczerski said in a tweet. It comes after Poland’s Foreign Ministry released a statement saying: “A Russian-made missile fell, killing two civilians in the Republic of Poland.” This was followed by calls for calm from the country’s prime minister and a statement by Polish President Andrzej Duda that the circumstances were still being investigated. “We currently have no clear evidence of who fired the missile. The investigation is ongoing. It was probably Russian-made,” Duda told reporters on Wednesday.
The Polish government will tread very carefully: DW’s Grzegorz Szymanowski
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The Italian Prime Minister expresses “solidarity” with Poland
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed solidarity with the government and people of Poland in a tweet. “I am now meeting with NATO Allies on the sidelines of the G20 to review events and consider next steps,” Meloni said, while stressing the seriousness of the situation. “It’s a confirmation of the seriousness and consequences of Russian aggression against Ukraine,” Meloni said.
Biden offers Poland ‘full US support’
US President Joe Biden spoke with Polish President Andrzej Duda after two people were killed in an apparent missile attack, the circumstances of which have not yet been determined. “President Biden offered full US support and assistance for the Polish investigation. President Biden reaffirmed the ironclad commitment of the United States to NATO,” a White House statement said. The leaders said their teams would remain in close communication “to determine next steps as the investigation progresses.”
Polish Prime Minister appeals for calm
Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki appealed for calm after a rocket killed two people in a Polish village near the border with Ukraine. “I call on all Poles to remain calm in the face of this tragedy… We must show restraint and caution,” Morawiecki said after emergency government talks in Warsaw. Meanwhile, Polish news station Radio ZET NEWS quoted Polish President Andrzej Duda as saying there was no conclusive evidence on who fired the missile and that investigations were ongoing. The news station reported that the president said it was likely a Russian-made missile.
Germany expresses condolences, reiterates support to Poland
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke by phone with Polish President Andrzej Duda to express his condolences and also pledge support, according to government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit. “Poland will closely investigate the circumstances of the incident in which two citizens lost their lives last night,” Hebestreit said on Twitter. “Germany stands by our NATO partner, Poland,” the German government spokesman said.
NATO will hold emergency talks on Wednesday
A NATO spokesman said the alliance’s secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg, would hold emergency talks on Wednesday with ambassadors from member states. “The Secretary General will chair an emergency meeting of NATO ambassadors tomorrow to discuss this tragic event,” NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said.
Poland summons Russian ambassador over ‘Russian-made missile’
The Polish Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that “a Russian-made missile fell, killing two civilians in the Republic of Poland.” A statement issued by ministry spokesman Lukas Yasina said the ambassador of the Russian Federation had been summoned and “demanded immediate detailed explanations”.
British PM pledges support to allies
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted that talks had taken place between himself, the foreign secretary and the defense secretary. Sunak said the British government was “urgently looking into reports of a missile attack in Poland and will support our allies as they establish what has happened”. Sunak went on to say, “We are also coordinating with our international partners, including NATO.”
The Kremlin had no information about an explosion in Poland, Ukraine denies it is theirs
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he had no information about an explosion in Poland. “Unfortunately, I have no information about that,” Peskov said in response to a question from the Reuters news agency. Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry described reports that a Russian missile had landed within the borders of NATO member Poland as a “deliberate provocation” to spread fake news about Russia. Russia pounded Ukraine’s energy facilities on Tuesday with its biggest missile barrage yet, hitting targets across the country and causing widespread power outages. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s claims that one of its own missiles fell in Poland was a “conspiracy theory”. “Russia is now promoting a conspiracy theory that it was allegedly a Ukrainian air defense missile that fell on Polish soil. This is not true. No one should buy Russian propaganda or reinforce its messages,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. on Twitter.
UK ‘urgently’ reviewing missile displays
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverley said on Twitter that the UK was “urgently” looking into reports of missile landings on Polish soil. “We are urgently investigating reports of missile landings in Poland and are in contact with our Polish friends and NATO allies,” Cleverly’s tweeted. Earlier, the British politician had tweeted about “Cruel targeting of Ukrainian cities with more heinous missile attacks”, saying it “only shows Putin’s weakness”.
EU leaders will meet on the sidelines of the G20
European Council President Charles Michel will convene an emergency meeting of EU leaders at the G20 summit. “I will propose a coordination meeting on Wednesday with EU leaders attending the G20 here in Bali,” said Michel…
