[News] Missile strike likely not an assault on Poland, US and NATO say; Kremlin lauds US restraint: Live Ukraine updates

[BirSaNN]

There is no evidence a missile that slammed into a Polish border town near Ukraine was an intentional attack on his country, Poland President Andrzej Duda said Wednesday.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and NATO leaders supported Duda's assertion. The missile, which killed two people in a rural area, appeared to be Russian-made, Duda said. Ukraine's weaponry includes Russian-made missiles.

“Ukraine’s defense was launching their missiles in various directions and it is highly probable that one of these missiles unfortunately fell on Polish territory,” Duda said. “There is nothing, absolutely nothing, to suggest that it was an intentional attack on Poland.”

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters that, based on information from his top commanders, "it wasn’t our missile or our missile strike,” adding that his officials should have access to the site and participate in the investigation.

 

He also said that if the evidence shows the missile came from Ukraine, "then we need to apologize.”

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, at a meeting of the military alliance in Brussels, said a preliminary analysis suggests the incident was likely caused by an Ukrainian air defense missile fired against Russian cruise missile attacks.

"But let me clear: This is not Ukraine's fault," he said. "Russia bears ultimate responsibility as it continues its illegal war against Ukraine."

 

The Russian Defense Ministry said photos of the wreckage released by Poland indicated the missile was from a Ukrainian S-300 missile defense system. Russia itself carried out massive missile strikes against Ukrainian cities Tuesday, knocking out power to millions of people. 

"All the missiles launched hit their designated targets precisely," the Defense Ministry’s press service said in a statement. Ukraine said it actually shot down more than 70 of the 90-100 missiles fired, in addition to 11 drones.

link: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/11/16/ukraine-russia-poland-missile-live-updates/10709829002/