Putin breaks silence on Poland missile crash and blames Warsaw

Russia breaks silence on Poland missile crash to blame Warsaw for ‘deliberate escalation’ (Image: Getty)Russia’s Ministry of Defense has claimed that reports of two Russian missiles landing in Poland and killing two people are a “deliberate provocation”.The Ministry bafflingly added: “No strikes were made against targets near the Ukrainian-Polish state border by Russian weapons” despite multiple recorded instances of Russian air strikes hitting Lviv, a Ukrainian city about 62 miles south of Przewodów and only 50 miles from the Ukrainian border, just hours earlier today.The statement concluded: “The fragments published in hot pursuit by the Polish media from the scene in the village of Przewoduv have nothing to do with Russian weapons”.Poland’s Armed Forces are on “high alert” following the explosion, while a senior US intelligence official told AP that the strike did indeed come from Russia.Czech’s Defence Minister also said she considered it “confirmed” that Russia had fired a missile into Poland, adding that they did not yet know why this had happened.Responding to the missile strike, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said: “Today, Russian missiles hit Poland. This is a very significant escalation and we must act.”How many times has Ukraine said that the terrorist state will not be limited to our country? It is only a matter of time before Russian terror goes further. Terror is not limited to our national borders.”I want to say now to all our Polish brothers and sisters: Ukraine will always support you! Terror will not break free people! Victory is possible when there is no fear! You and I don’t have it. Let’s do everything to stop her!”The Baltic States have also confirmed their support for Poland as the world reels from news of the strikes. Estonia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said they were “ready to defend every inch of NATO territory,” adding the explosions in Poland were “most concerning”.The Latvian Deputy PM, Artis Pabriks, decried Russia’s “criminal” regime, while Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said Vilnius is ‘keeping close contact’ with Warsaw.The UK Foreign Office told Express.co.uk it was urgently seeking clarity on the incident.France is reportedly carrying out a “removal of doubt” after the explosions in Poland, alongside other NATO allies.Meanwhile, CNN reported that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is expected to speak with his Polish counterpart later today, quoting a European military official and a US official.