A deadly explosion in a Polish village close to the Ukrainian border was likely caused by a Ukrainian air defence system and there is no indication it was a deliberate attack, Nato’s chief has said.
The secretary general of the military alliance Jens Stoltenberg briefed journalists after ambassadors of its member states met to consider the incident, which killed two people in the rural village of Przewodow.
“Our preliminary analysis suggests that the incident was likely caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile fired to defend Ukrainian territory against Russian cruise missile attacks,” Mr Stoltenberg told reporters.
“We have no indication that this was the result of a deliberate attack, and we have no indication that Russia is preparing offensive military actions against Nato.”
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More complete details would be revealed in an investigation into the incident, which is ongoing, Mr Stoltenberg said. But he said the available information suggested that the incident in Przewodow did not have the “characteristics” of a deliberate attack.
“This is not Ukraine’s fault. Russia bears the responsibility of what happened in Poland yesterday, because this is a direct result of the ongoing war and the wave of attacks from Russia against Ukraine yesterday,” he said.
The incident illustrated that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has the potential to create “dangerous situations” including “consequences on Nato territory” as a result of the war, he continued.
“Of course we were concerned when we got the reports yesterday, and especially, we were saddened by the fact that there were two casualties,” Mr Stoltenberg said.
“We are monitoring, we are following very closely, and therefore we are prepared to handle situations like this in our firm, calm, resolute way, but also in a way that prevent further escalation.”
Russia’s defence ministry had denied involvement in the explosion from the outset. Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba however said late last night that the claim that the explosion was caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile was “Russian propaganda”, and a “conspiracy theory” spread by Moscow “which is not true”.
