Pentagon Investigating Reports Russian Missiles Hit Poland

The Pentagon says it is looking into reports that two missiles hit Poland—a NATO ally—during Russia's bombardment of Ukraine Tuesday. The AP quoted a "senior US intelligence official" speaking on condition of anonymity as saying two people were killed when apparent Russian missiles hit a site in Poland around 15 miles west of the border with Ukraine. "We are aware of the press reports alleging that two Russian missiles have struck a location inside Poland near the Ukraine border," Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said, per Reuters. "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 added that "when it comes to our security commitments and Article 5, we've been crystal-clear that we will defend every inch of NATO territory."

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the agency is working with the Polish government to gather more information. According to reports in Polish media, missiles hit an area where grain was drying in the village of Przewodów. If the reports are correct, this will be the first time NATO territory has been hit since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Guardian reports. Russia claimed the reports were a "deliberate provocation." "No strikes on targets near the Ukrainian-Polish state border were made by Russian rockets," Russia's defense ministry said in a statement. "The wreckage published by the Polish media from the scene in the village of Przewodów has nothing to do with Russian weapons."

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said he had called an urgent meeting of a national security committee, reports Reuters. Paul Adams at the BBC notes that Russia "has no interest in targeting Polish farms," so it's possible that a missile malfunctioned or was knocked off course by Ukrainian air defenses. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at least 85 Russian missiles were fired in Tuesday's attacks, most of them targeting energy infrastructure. (More Russia-Ukraine war stories.)