Shells have landed in Poland during a series of Russian missile attacks on Ukraine. Two people died. The background was not clear. Poland has called an “emergency meeting” and put its armed forces on heightened alert.
The Polish village of Przewodów rose to prominence on Tuesday night: Two rockets reportedly fell in the town of just 530 near the Ukrainian border. At least two Polish citizens died. With that, the war spilled over the border for a moment. On the territory of NATO, of which Poland is a member. The West was terrified. You could read it from the first statements. Because early reports assumed these were Russian shells. Possibly “stray missiles”. Moscow denied. The Defense Ministry there spoke of a “deliberate provocation” by the other side.
It was later said that the missiles could also have been remnants of Ukrainian S-300 anti-aircraft missiles that were repelling massive Russian attacks. No certainty at the time of going to press. Just great nervousness. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki hastily convened the National Security Council. The government in Warsaw has classified the fatal accident as a “national crisis situation”. Images of a crash site circulated Tuesday evening. They showed debris and, if I’m not mistaken, an overturned trailer.
Poland is one of Ukraine’s most determined military aides. And it has taken in more Ukrainian refugees than any other country.
One thing is certain: Russia launched massive rocket attacks across Ukraine on Tuesday. Destinations included Kharkiv in the northeast, the coastal city of Odessa, the capital Kyiv and Lviv, which is only 71 kilometers from Przewodów in Poland. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia fired about 100 rockets that day, more than any other day of the war.
