NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg says an explosion in Poland which claimed two lives on Tuesday was likely not caused by a Russian attack, but instead by a Ukrainian air defence system.
NATO ambassadors met for talks in Brussels on Wednesday after alliance member Poland said a Russian-made missile dropped on its territory, not far from the border with Ukraine.
According to NATO chief Stoltenberg, investigations so far show no indications this deadly incident in Eastern Poland was a deliberate attack, and no indications Moscow is planning any military action against NATO.
Stoltenberg says the explosion was most likely caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile fired to intercept a Russian strike – but he also stressed continued support to Kyiv.
“This is not Ukraine’s fault. Russia bears responsibility for what happened in Poland yesterday because this is a direct result of the ongoing war and the wave of attacks from Russia against Ukraine yesterday. And of course, Ukraine has the right to shoot down those missiles that are targeting Ukrainian cities and the critical Ukrainian influence structure,” says Stoltenberg.
So no big reaction is expected from NATO. Instead, more of the same message the alliance has stuck to for months: that members will keep backing Ukraine with military and financial aid, but that NATO will stay out of the conflict.
Russia has long accused the military alliance of escalating the war by providing Kyiv with weapons. In Brussels, officials say the only party escalating or prolonging this conflict is the aggressor- Russia.
G20 Summit
Meanwhile, the G20 Summit is wrapping up in Bali, Indonesia, and the missile explosion in Poland has been dominating the agenda on the final day of the Summit.
SABC correspondent Richard Kimber shares more on the proceedings from the G20;
