“This is exactly the scenario pro-diplomacy and anti-war voices have since the start been warning gets increasingly likely the longer the war goes on,” said one observer.
by Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams
Two people are reportedly dead after a Tuesday afternoon explosion at a Polish grain processing facility near the Ukrainian border that an unnamed U.S. intelligence official and Polish media attributed to a Russian missile strike, sparking fears of an escalation of the Ukraine war.
The cause of the explosion in Przewodów, a village in eastern Poland about four miles from the Ukrainian border, could not be immediately confirmed. Polish government spokesperson Piotr Mueller told reporters that Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and President Andrzej Duda convened an emergency session of the country’s National Security Council to address the “crisis situation.”
Mueller cautioned international media against publishing “unverified information.”
Peace advocates and foreign policy experts have warned since the outset of the war that an errant missile strike on a NATO country or a military miscalculation by either side could dangerously escalate the conflict.
The unnamed U.S. official, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said multiple Russian missiles struck the grain center.
Reuters reports that the White House—which said it cannot confirm reports of a Russian missile strike—is working with the Polish government to gather more information about the incident. U.S. President Joe Biden has previously vowed to “defend every inch of NATO territory.”
Pentagon spokesperson Gen. Pat Ryder, meanwhile, told reporters that “we don’t have any information at this time to corroborate those reports and are looking into this further.”
Under Article 5 of the NATO treaty, an attack on any member of the alliance is considered an attack on all. Poland joined NATO in 1999. When asked, Ryder did not say if the incident would trigger Article 5.
An Article 4 response could also be triggered by such an incident, which would include NATO members coming together to consult over a perceived security threat if any member demands such a meeting.
The Russian defense ministry issued a statement denying responsibility for the attack, calling media reports a “deliberate provocation.”
According to The New York Times, Russian forces launched around 100 missiles targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Tuesday in what Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko called the largest coordinated attack on the country’s power grid since the start of Russia’s invasion.
Recent Posts
Right-Wing Courts May Further Dismantle Health Care Benefits
March 28, 2024
Take Action Now Right-wing federal appeal judges signal they support repeal of the no-cost preventive care mandate, all but guaranteeing a Supreme…
Biden Re-Election Benefits From Dark Money He Says “Erodes Public Trust”
March 28, 2024
Take Action Now Dark money has flooded into outside spending groups pledging support for Biden, including one out of every two dollars to the…
If Supreme Court Restricts Abortion Pills, Birth Control Could Be Next
March 28, 2024
Take Action Now Republicans across the country have blocked Democratic efforts to codify the right to use contraception. By Mike Ludwig, Truthout…
Support For Israel’s War On Gaza Plummeting Among Key Biden Voters: Poll
March 28, 2024
Take Action Now “Given these numbers,” said one progressive campaigner, “I don’t know how President Biden can reconcile his…