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Poland under Missile Attack: Versions and Reactions
The Polish media and officials said early Wednesday that a Russian-made missile(s) fell in the country’s east, killing two people. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called an urgent meeting of the Committee on National Security and Defense. It was decided to increase the level of military preparedness of the Polish armed forces.
When the initial emotions calmed down and the voices calling for the immediate implementation of NATO Article 5 subsided, more realistic assessments of the crisis situation emerged. U.S. President Joe Biden said it was “unlikely” the missile was fired from Russia.
However, the blast, which Ukrainian leader Volodymr Zelenskyy decried as “a very significant escalation,” prompted President Biden to call an emergency meeting of G-7 and NATO leaders. A deliberate, hostile attack on NATO member Poland could trigger a collective military response by the alliance.
But amid the confusion caused by a lightning-quick series of Russian airstrikes on Ukrainian infrastructure, key questions about the circumstances of the missile launch remained unanswered. The Russian Federation expectedly denied any involvement in the Poland blast.
Three U.S. officials said preliminary assessments suggested the missile was fired by Ukrainian forces at an incoming Russian one…