UPDATE - 2 dead in suspected missile attack in eastern Poland, near Ukraine border

UPDATE WITH MORE DETAILS

By Jo Harper

WARSAW (AA) - At least two people were killed in an explosion in eastern Poland, not far from the Ukrainian border, an official said Tuesday.

Radio Lublin reported that emergency officials and army troops have reached the scene of the explosion in the village of Przewodow in the Lublin district.

The cause of the explosion attack has not been officially ascertained yet.

“The causes of this incident are not known at the moment,” Marcin Lebiedowicz, spokesman of the local State Fire Service office, told Radio Lublin.

“We have received a report of an explosion at the yard. Upon arrival, we confirm that something like this has happened. Two people died on the spot. At the moment, we are securing the scene of the incident and lighting the area of action,” Lebiedowicz added.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has convened a high-level meeting on urgent basis, government spokesman Piotr Muller said soon after reports of the explosion started coming in.

The situation is reportedly critical after a recent attack by Russian forces on energy infrastructure facilities in Ukraine. Some of the missiles hit the western part of the country, close to the border with Poland.

- US blames Russia

Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder at a news briefing on Tuesday, said they are aware of reports that two Russian missiles struck a location "inside Poland or the Ukraine border."

"I can tell you that we don’t have any information at this time to corroborate those reports and are looking into this further."

Pentagon also underlined the US "will defend every inch of NATO territory"

Earlier, Associated Press quoted a senior American official as saying Russian missiles crossed into NATO member Poland, killing two people.

- Russia says no strikes made

No strikes were made against targets near the Ukrainian-Polish state border by Russian means of destruction, according to Russian Ministry of Defense.

"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," it said, adding "statements of Polish media and officials about alleged fall of 'Russian' missiles 'deliberate provocation' in order to escalate the situation."

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it was Russian missiles that hit Poland.

- Escalation in region

Estonia and Latvia on Tuesday expressed concern over alleged Russian missiles hitting Poland, a NATO member.

"Latest news from Poland is most concerning. We are consulting closely with Poland and other Allies," the Estonian Foreign Ministry said on Twitter.

"Estonia is ready to defend every inch of NATO territory. We’re in full solidarity with our close ally Poland," the ministry added.

Latvia’s Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics described the incident as a "dangerous escalation by the Kremlin” in a tweet.

“Russian missiles hitting the territory of the NATO member is a very dangerous escalation by the Kremlin, #Latvia expresses full solidarity with our ally Poland and will support any action deemed appropriate by Poland,” said Rinkevics.

“Russia will bear full responsibility for all the consequences,” he added.

* With additional reporting by Aysu Bicer from Ankara