BRUSSELS: Nato said today it was in close contact with Warsaw as it blamed Russia for a missile that crashed in Poland, and vowed to “continue to take all necessary measures to defend” alliance territory.
“In response to a Russian missile of currently unknown type that entered Polish airspace and later crashed into Polish territory – one of many missiles fired by Russia at Ukraine overnight – Nato and Poland activated their air and ground defences,” said Martin O’Donnell, a spokesman for Nato’s Europe headquarters.
“Two Nato fighter jets, which were Polish F-16s, a Nato Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Unit Airbus A330 refuelling aircraft, a Polish Saab 340 Airborne Early Warning aircraft, and a Polish Mi-24 helicopter, were scrambled,” he added in a statement.
O’Donnell said that Nato was “in close contact with the Polish authorities about the violation of Poland’s airspace” and that the Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alexus Grynkewich had spoken to Poland’s chief of defence.
Grynkewich “underlined that Nato will continue to take all necessary measures to defend Nato territory,” the statement said.
Polish authorities said that a 10m wide crater had been left by an explosion, likely of a Russian missile, in an eastern region.
At a press conference at the scene, about 80km from the Ukrainian border, prime minister Donald Tusk said that the missile that caused the explosion was likely a Russian Kh-101.
“From the analysis of most of the traces, the recovered fragments point to a Russian Kh-101 missile,” he said.
