conflicts
Poland: Explosion triggered by Russian-made missile
Police officers gather after the impact of a Russian-made rocket in Przewodow, southern Poland. photo
© Str/AP/dpa
A Russian-made rocket hits a Polish town near the border with Ukraine. Two people are killed. Poland puts parts of its army on increased readiness.
According to the government in Warsaw, the explosion in a Polish village near the border with Ukraine was triggered by a Russian-made rocket. The impact in the village of Przewodow happened on Tuesday at 3:40 p.m., killing two Polish citizens, the ministry said early Wednesday morning.
With the origin of the rocket, however, it is not yet clear which country used it. Both Ukraine and Russia use Soviet-designed missiles.
Warsaw has summoned the Russian ambassador, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said. He stressed that on Tuesday there was a massive shelling of the entire Ukrainian territory and its critical infrastructure by the Russian army. The village of Przevodow is about 60 kilometers as the crow flies from the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, which was also the target of Russian attacks.
After the incident, Poland put part of its armed forces on increased readiness. This also applies to other uniformed services, said a government spokesman on Tuesday evening in Warsaw. It is about specific military combat units and the combat readiness of units of the uniformed services, he said, without giving any further details.
In addition, together with the NATO allies, it was decided to check whether there were reasons to initiate the procedures under Article 4 of the NATO treaty, he said. Article 4 provides for consultations between the NATO states if one of them sees the integrity of its territory, political independence or its own security threatened.