Polish defense minister says on high alert over suspected missile strike

By Iclal Turan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Poland’s air, land and naval units are on “high alert” after a missile which hit a Polish village near the border with Ukraine late Tuesday and killed two people, according to the country’s defense minister.

The Polish army is monitoring the situation, and in constant contact with allies, Mariusz Błaszczak said on Twitter Wednesday.

The missile incident sparked fears of an escalation as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of deliberately attacking Poland, a NATO member. But Moscow has denied the charge, saying it has nothing do with it.

Meanwhile, Poland's President Andrzej Duda urged claim, saying there was no conclusive evidence showing who fired the missile that caused an explosion.

US President Joe Biden also said it was “unlikely” that the missiles were fired from Russia, a remark the Kremlin has praised as "measured response."​​​​​​​

The incident came as world leaders gathered for the G-20 summit in Bali, where the war in Ukraine is said to be the most debated issue.