Initial investigations into the missile firings in Poland have suggested that the firings were done by Ukrainian forces at an incoming missile threat from Russia, Associated Press reported based on information from U.S officials.
These findings emerge in the backdrop of Polish media reporting that two missiles landed in the Polish territory of Przewodow close to the Ukrainian border, killing two people. Initially, western media was quick to originate the attacks from Russia. Poland also summoned the Russian envoy and asked for a detailed explanation on the issue.
“On 15 November 2022, another hours-long, massive shelling took place of the entire territory of Ukraine and its critical infrastructure by the armed forces of the Russian Federation. At 3:40 pm, a Russia-made missile dropped on the village of Przewodów, district Hrubieszów, Lubelskie province, and resulted in the death of two citizens of the Republic of Poland.
Therefore, Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau summoned the ambassador of the Russian Federation to Polish MFA and demanded an immediate and detailed explanation”, a Polish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also called for an emergency meeting following the attacks of a government committee on national security. Moreover, there was enough incentive to propose a NATO ambassadors meeting based on Article 4 of The NATO Act to discuss the situation, which was then done by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
Soon Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said that they looking into the allegations on Russia but won’t jump to any forgone conclusions based entirely on preliminary evidence. Also, POTUS Joe Biden said that the U.S would lend its full support in investigating the origins of the missile attacks on Poland and is fully committed to the NATO charter, including Article 5, which states that an attack on one NATO member is effectively an attack on all.
“There is preliminary information that contests that. I don’t want to say that until we completely investigate it, but it is unlikely in the lines of the trajectory that it was fired from Russia, but we’ll see”, Biden said.
Joe Biden also conducted an emergency meeting of G7 and NATO allies on the sidelines of the ongoing G20 summit in Bali. Leaders from the United States, Germany, Canada, Netherlands, Japan, Spain, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom took part in the meeting, reported Reuters. They condemned Russia’s “barbaric assaults” on Ukraine and vowed to investigate the missile attacks on Poland.
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However, soon after it was reported by a NATO source that Biden had declared to the G7- NATO meeting that it was unlikely that the missiles were fired by Russia and were most likely a result of Ukraine’s own counteroffensive against Russian aggression.
He had also earlier said that there was a possibility that the attacks might not be a Russian act. “There is preliminary information that contests that. I don’t want to say that until we completely investigate it, but it is unlikely in the lines of the trajectory that it was fired from Russia, but we’ll see.”
Later on Polish President Andrzej Duda declared the same stating, “From the information that we and our allies have, it was an S-300 rocket made in the Soviet Union, an old rocket and there is no evidence that it was launched by the Russian side.
“It is highly probable that it was fired by Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense.” Polish Prime Minister Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also said that Poland might reconsider its stance to invoke Article 4 of the NATO Treaty for the meantime.
Russia, from the get-go, vehemently denied all the allegations, stating that none of its missiles hit closer than 35 KM to the Polish border. It also said that there was a “conspiracy” to malign the state and provoke escalation between NATO and Russia, which could be catastrophic.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had also accused Russia of “hitting the territory of a friendly nation” and alleged it as yet another act of “terrorism” by Moscow. “The terrorist has to be shown its place. The longer Russia feels impunity the more threats it will create for all who are within range of Russian missiles.
To fire missiles at NATO territory! This is a Russian missile attack on collective security! It’s a significant escalation. Action is required. I now want to tell everyone of our Polish brothers and sisters – UA will always support you. Free people won’t be broken by terror. Victory is possible when there is no fear.
And we and you are not afraid,” he said. However, with the latest round of reports suggesting otherwise, the issue seems to be resolved for now and the tensions have fairly subsided between Russia and NATO.
