- Two people have reportedly been killed after Russian missiles landed in a village in eastern Poland.
- Poland is a member of NATO, which operates on the principle of collective defense.
- It is not yet clear how Poland or NATO will respond.
- For more stories, visit www.BusinessInsider.co.za.
Two people were reportedly killed after Russian missiles struck a village in eastern Poland on Tuesday, a US intelligence official told the Associated Press. The incident marks the first time that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war has crossed Ukraine’s borders and reached the territory of a NATO member.
The missiles landed in the town of Przewodów, which is located in eastern Poland and is a short distance from the western border of Ukraine. A Polish government official said the country’s prime minister has called an emergency defense committee meeting.
Polish media published images of teams working around a deep crater and cited speculation that the rockets may have been deflected by Ukrainian missile defenses. Eyewitnesses told reporters that military planes began to fly over the site shortly after the explosion, around 3:40 p.m. local time, followed by military and police vehicles.
It was not immediately clear what implications the incident could unravel. However, Poland is a member of NATO, which uses a collective defense agreement known as Article 5. Under this agreement, an attack against a NATO country would be considered an attack against the entire military alliance.
The United States and its Western allies have warned Russia for months that an attack on NATO territory would trigger a strong response.
“We have a sacred obligation under Article 5 to defend every inch of NATO territory with the full force of our collective power,” US President Joe Biden said in March.
The White House, the Polish Foreign Ministry and NATO did not immediately respond to Insider’s requests for comment. The Pentagon was reportedly “investigating” the report, Tuesday night South Africa time.
The incident immediately triggered comments from senior officials in neighboring countries.
“My condolences to our Polish brothers in arms. The criminal Russian regime fired missiles that not only targeted Ukrainian civilians, but also landed on NATO territory in Poland. Latvia fully supports Polish friends and condemns this crime.” said the Latvian Defense Minister. said On twitter.
The incident comes as Russia fired a barrage of missiles through Ukraine on Tuesday.
This story is unfolding. Please check for updates.
