Two people in Poland are dead after two Russian missiles landed in the NATO nation near its border with Ukraine, The National’s Joyce Karam reported on Tuesday.
Karam, senior correspondent for The National, tweeted, “JUST IN: Two missiles reportedly hit Przewodow #Poland located on border with #Ukraine. Comes as Russia pounded Ukraine with missiles today. Local radio reports 2 fatalities. Poland is a NATO member.”
Polish officials have given conflicting statements about the incident.
The Polish Foreign Ministry identified the missile as being made in Russia, the Associated Press reported. President Andrzej Duda was less certain about the origins of the missiles, saying officials don’t know for sure who fired them but they were “most probably” Russian-made.
“We are acting with calm,” Duda said. “This is a difficult situation.”
Mateusz Morawiecki, the Prime Minister of Poland, organized an emergency meeting with the Committee of the Council of Ministers for National Security and Defense Affairs Tuesday morning. Morawiecki called the gathering “a matter of urgency,” according to government spokesman Piotr Müller.
“The Prime Minister @MorawieckiM called as a matter of urgency the Committee of the Council of Ministers for National Security and Defense Affairs,” Müller tweeted, according to a translation of the post.
It is unclear why the rocket landed in Poland and comes amid Russia’s latest bombardment of Ukraine.
The incident could prompt Poland to invoke NATO’s Article 5, which stipulates that an attack against a NATO ally should be considered an attack against all members of the alliance.
Article 5 states:
The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.
Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates as more information becomes available.
