Ukraine Says Not To Blame Poland’s Missile Attack

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had “no doubt” that his country was not responsible for a missile attack on a Polish village that killed two people, despite his initial assessment. NATO that the explosion occurred when Ukraine was trying to defend itself against Russia. .

Zelenskyy said on Ukrainian television on Wednesday that his top military commanders had assured him that “not our missiles and not our missile attack” were the cause. cause of Tuesday’s incident, which has sparked international outrage and fears that a broader conflict between NATO and Russia could erupt.

“I have no doubt about [Tuesday’s] reporting to me personally — from Air Force Commander to Commander-in-Chief [Valery] Zaluzhny – that it was not our missile and not our missile attack,” Zelenskyy said.

He reiterated calls from Kiev to give them access to the site of the explosion, near the village of Przewodow in southeastern Poland and just four miles from the Ukrainian border, and for Ukraine to participate in the joint investigation. led by Poland and Ukraine. WE

“I believe we have a right to this. Is it possible not to publish the final conclusion until the investigation is over? I think that is fair. If someone says that this is their missile. Should we join a joint investigative team? I think we should, that’s fair.”

Doubts about who was behind the attack have fallen on Russia’s shoulders, especially in light of the series of missile attacks their forces have inflicted on cities across Ukraine during the day. Tuesday. Poland and other NATO allies, especially those in the Baltics and Eastern Europe, initially appeared to believe Russia was behind the attack, although it denied responsibility and called the incident “a tragedy.” deliberate provocation”.

As a series of high-level diplomatic meetings unfolded on Wednesday, with NATO itself holding an emergency meeting, more details emerged surrounding the incident with Western officials suggesting that the initial investigations The first indicated that it was a Ukrainian air defense system responsible.

However, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed that, in the end, Russia is responsible for the incident due to the ongoing onslaught in Ukraine.

Stoltenberg told reporters that “preliminary analysis of the military alliance suggests that the incident was likely caused by a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile to defend Ukraine’s territory against missile attacks.” Russian journey.”

“But let me be clear, this is not Ukraine’s fault. Russia is ultimately responsible for continuing its illegal war against Ukraine,” he said.

Stoltenberg noted that the missile incident took place “when Russia launched a large wave of missile attacks across Ukraine” and “there is no indication that this was the result of a deliberate attack”. nor any indication that this was the result of “military offensive actions”. against NATO.”

Despite NATO’s vindication of Ukraine — and even Poland’s aggrieved party accepting the missile attack as an “individual incident” and reiterating its support for Ukraine — Kyiv quickly quickly defended himself and dismissed the initial findings of the investigation.

Oleksiy Danilov, head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, tweeted that Kyiv wanted to see evidence held by its allies that they were involved.

Danilov said on Twitter that Ukraine is “ready to hand over evidence of the Russian footprint we have” but Kiev is still waiting for “information from our partners, on the basis of which it comes to the conclusion that it is a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile.”

Asked on Wednesday whether Ukraine could participate in the joint investigation, Polish President Andrzej Duda told reporters that “the proceedings are conducted by Polish and American experts.” and if anyone is allowed to participate in these proceedings then both parties must agree.”