Missile hits Poland, tensions defuse after NATO rules out Russia's role

New Delhi, November 16

Leaders of the G20 grouping held an emergency meeting in Bali after early reports of a missile strike in Poland that killed two civilians stoked fears of escalation between NATO and Russia. However, NATO Secretary General quickly dialed down the misgivings created by Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy, who had said this was “significant escalation of war” and alleged Russian missiles killed the Polish civilians.

Poland summoned the Russian ambassador in Warsaw and “demanded immediate detailed explanations”, while in the fog of early reports, fuelled by Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy facilities with a massive barrage of missiles, NATO called an emergency meeting of its envoys in Brussels to discuss the events close to the Ukrainian border in Poland.

However, as it became clear that the missile was of Ukrainian origin, both Poland and NATO walked back. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said there was no evidence that Russia was planning an offensive against the alliance.

The implications of a Russian missile strike on Poland would have drawn in the US-led 30-country NATO. Not willing to let Russia off the hook, Stoltenberg said Russia “bears responsibility” for the blast as it was a direct result of the ongoing war.

The Russian Defence Ministry from the outset denied being behind any strikes on targets near the Ukrainian-Polish border and said in a statement that photos of purported damage had nothing to do with Russian weapons.

The barrage, most of it at energy facilities, also affected neighbouring Moldova. It reported massive power outages after the strikes knocked out a key power line that supplies the small nation, an official said.

But there was no respite for Ukraine from at least 85 Russian missile strikes on Tuesday night. They caused much of Ukraine to plunge into darkness, but Zelenskyy said, “We need to put the terrorist in its place. The longer Russia feels impunity, the more threats there will be for everyone within the reach of Russian missiles.” Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko said the attack was “the most massive” bombardment of power facilities and accused Russia of “trying to cause maximum damage to our energy system on the eve of winter”.