Russian missiles reportedly cross into Poland, killing two

Russian missiles killed two people after crossing into Poland, a U.S. intelligence official told the Associated Press, sparking fears of an escalation of the war in Ukraine. 

A Polish official confirmed the strike to the Washington Post, which also reported that Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has summoned a meeting of the country’s defense and security leaders.

The missiles reportedly killed two people near a grain silo in a village on the Ukraine border. 

Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said he was “aware” of reports that missiles had struck inside Poland. 

“I can tell you that we don’t have any information at this time to corroborate those reports and are looking into this further,” he said. 

It’s unclear whether the strike was intentional or a mistake. Russia’s Defense Ministry denied any strike in Poland or near its border.

“No strikes on targets near the Ukrainian-Polish state border were made,” the ministry wrote in a Telegram post, calling any statements by Polish officials or media outlets on the matter a “deliberate provocation.”

Since Russia’s attack on Ukraine began in February, there have been fears the conflict could spill over into NATO member countries including Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary, which all share a border with Ukraine.  

President Biden has repeatedly promised that in such an instance, the U.S. government will uphold Article 5, the clause that outlines how allies will consider an attack on one an attack on all.  

He has also promised that though the U.S. will not directly engage in Ukraine, it “will defend every inch of NATO territory,” and that its commitment to Article 5 is “ironclad.” 

Ryder reiterated that message on Tuesday, saying that “when it comes to our security commitments and Article 5 we’ve been crystal clear that we will defend every inch of NATO territory.”

Russian missile strikes on Ukraine have surged this week after appearing to taper down from a missile barrage that began in October.  

On Monday, a senior U.S. military official told reporters that Russian missile strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure had “slowed down” since the end of last month but Moscow continued to hit at civilian infrastructure and the United States has “no reason to think that Russia is going to let up on its attacks any time soon.” 

The official later added that Russian munitions stockpiles are “challenged, particularly when it comes to precision-guided munitions.” 

The Kremlin’s dwindling stockpile of precision weapons has been highlighted by the Pentagon before and could explain the reported deaths of two Polish citizens. 

The lack of the advanced missiles that can hit specific targets means Russia is increasingly relying on less sophisticated missiles that may not hit where intended. 

Moscow, meanwhile, has rejected Washington’s assessment that it’s running low on long-range missiles. 

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said at a Washington Post event Tuesday that American officials were concerned but still gathering information.

“And once we have determined what the information is, then the Security Council will determine whether it’s needed to call a meeting,” she said.

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, called Tuesday afternoon for a NATO summit with Ukraine’s participation to discuss next steps.

“Collective response to Russian actions must be tough and principled,” he wrote, reiterating calls for western fighter jets and air defense systems to intercept Russian missiles.

“Today, protecting Ukraine’s skies means protecting NATO,” he wrote.

Latvia’s defense minister, Artis Pabriks, sent his condolences to “our Polish brothers in arms” in a tweet Tuesday afternoon, accusing the “Criminal Russian regime” of firing the missiles. 

“My first reaction would be that after Russians hit Polish territory, 4. Article is in place, just like air defence of Ukrainian air,” he wrote. 

Article 4 allows NATO members to bring an issue of concern to the table for discussion among the full alliance. 

Associated Press contributed reporting

Updated: 3:56 p.m.