U.S., Poland Probe Possible Russian Missile Hit on NATO Soil Near Ukraine

Polish and U.S. officials are scrambling to investigate reports of deadly blast potentially caused by a Russian missile on the Polish side of the border with Ukraine, while Moscow has denied any involvement.

Local reports emerged Tuesday of an explosion that killed up to two people in the village of Przewodów of Lublin province along Poland's eastern border with Ukraine.

Reached for comment, a Polish National Defense Ministry spokesperson told Newsweek that "we are verifying and checking the information regarding the incident in Przewodów in the Lubelskie Voivodeship on the border with Ukraine."

A Polish Foreign Ministry statement later said that "a Russian-made missile"—some models of which both Russia and Ukraine possess—was behind the lethal explosions and that Warsaw was summoning Moscow's ambassador to demand an "immediate and detailed explanation.

A Pentagon spokesperson also addressed the news on Tuesday.

"We are aware of these initial reports but have don't have any information to corroborate these reports at this time," the spokesperson told Newsweek. "We will continue to monitor the situation."

U.S. European Command provided Newsweek with an identical response and Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder gave a similar account during a press briefing held shortly after reports of the incident emerged.

"We are aware of the press reports alleging that two Russian missiles have struck a location inside Poland near the Ukraine border," Ryder said. "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 repeatedly declined to elaborate on any details of the incident or on potential military responses given Poland's status as a member of the NATO alliance, which carries the Article 5 collective defense clause.

A NATO official told Newsweek that "We are looking into these reports and closely coordinating with our Ally Poland."

The Russian Defense Ministry denied that Moscow was behind the strike and accused Polish mass media and officials of committing a "deliberate provocation to escalate [the] situation with their statement on [the] alleged impact of 'Russian' rockets at Przewodów."

"Russian firepower has launched no strikes at the area between [the] Ukrainian – Polish border," the ministry said on social media. "The wreckage published by Polish mass media from scene in Przewodów have no relation to Russian firepower."

The Associated Press initally cited an unnamed senior U.S. intelligence confirming that Russia was, indeed, behind the cross-border strike. Hours later, the same outlet cited three U.S. officials who said preliminary assessments suggest the missile was fired by Ukrainian forces in an intercept an incoming Russian missile.

A number of officials from fellow NATO states in the Baltic had also initially cast blame on Russia, including Latvian Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Artis Pabriks who tweeted that the "Criminal Russian regime fired missiles which target not only Ukrainian civilians but also landed on NATO territory in Poland." He said that "Latvia fully stands with Polish friends and condemns this crime" and suggested NATO provide air defenses to Ukraine, potentially through another one of the alliance's clauses known as Article 4.

Elsewhere in the Baltics, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda tweeted about "Concerning news from Poland tonight on at least two explosions" and asserted that "Every inch of #NATO territory must be defended!"

The Estonian Foreign Ministry echoed this sentiment in its own statement on Twitter.

"Latest news from Poland is most concerning. We are consulting closely with Poland and other Allies," the ministry wrote. "Estonia is ready to defend every inch of NATO territory. We're in full solidarity with our close ally Poland"

The blasts occurred following a series of Russian missile strikes against Ukrainian cities, including the westernmost city of Lviv, in the latest bombardment against the neighboring nation after the Kremlin launched a war there in February. The Ukrainian Energy Ministry called it "the most massive" barrage against the country's power grid yet and had done massive damage, plunging cities into darkness.

The Ukrainian Air Force said that around 90 projectiles, including Kalibr cruise missiles, Shahed-131 and 136 drones and an Orion drone, were launched against the country, 70 of which were said to have been successfully intercepted. A number of Ukrainian anti-missile platforms also originate from Russia, such as the S-300 surface-to-air missile system, which, though not comparable in range to the offensive weapons used in Russia's strikes on Tuesday, is still capable of firing interceptors well over 100 miles away.

The Russian strikes came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gave a virtual address the G20 summit taking place in Indonesia. In it, he offered a ten-point proposal to end the conflict after previously saying he would not negotiate until Moscow withdrew all of its troops from his country, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued that "if anyone is refusing to negotiate, it is Ukraine."

In a separate video clip, Zelensky referred to the reports of a potential Russian missile striking Polish territory as "a very significant escalation in the conflict" and called on partners to take action.

And the head of his presidential office, Mykhailo Podolyak, also blamed Russia and went as far as to say the strike was "not an accident, but a deliberately planned 'hello' from RF, disguised as a 'mistake'.

"It happens when evil goes unpunished & politicians engage in 'pacification' of aggressor," he added. "Ru-terrorist regime must be stopped. Condolences to the victims' relatives."

Following an emergency meeting with his administration, Polish President Andrzej Duda spoke with a number of leaders, including his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, who has offered billions of military assistance to Ukraine and, during a visit to Poland in March, a month after the neighboring conflict began, warned Russian President Vladimir Putin, "Don't even think about moving on one single inch of NATO territory."

A White House readout of their talk said Duda briefed Biden on the latest assessment of what occurred at the Poland-Ukraine border, and that the U.S. leader "offered full U.S support for and assistance with Poland's investigation" and "reaffirmed the United States' ironclad commitment to NATO."

"The two leaders said that they and their teams should remain in close touch to determine appropriate next steps as the investigation proceeds," the readout added.

Newsweek has reached out to the Polish Embassy in Washington, D.C., the Polish Foreign Ministry, the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., the Ukrainian Air Force and the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff for comment.

This is a developing news story. More information will be provided as it becomes available.