Russia launched a series of missiles into Ukraine on Tuesday, knocking out power to more than 7 million homes and causing blackouts in neighboring Moldova.
The government of Poland, a NATO country, has called an emergency meeting of its National Security Council, following the publication of reports of Russian missile strikes near its border with Ukraine.
Hungary also convened its Defense Council.
In the United States, the Pentagon spokesman indicated that he was “aware of press reports that say that two Russian missiles hit the interior of Poland or the border with Ukraine”, specifying that so far he lacks elements “to confirm that there was a attack.”
NATO has also indicated that it “investigates” these reports.
Its secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, has asked for clarification on reports that Russian missiles may have landed in Poland during the bombing of Ukraine.
NATO “is monitoring the situation and it is important that all the facts are established,” Stoltenberg tweeted, after reporting that he had spoken with Polish President Andrzej Duda, to whom he offered “condolences” for the victims of an “explosion”.
Russia called these reports “intentional provocation aimed at aggravating the situation”.
Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky, who has called for more Western help, accused Moscow of causing a “very significant escalation” of the conflict by bombing Poland.
– Seven million Ukrainians without electricity –
Russia launched a hundred missiles during the day against several Ukrainian cities, including Kiev, the capital, mainly targeting “energy infrastructure”, the Ukrainian army said.
The attacks left “more than seven million users” without electricity, said the Ukrainian president’s deputy chief of staff, Kirilo Timoshenko. “The situation is critical,” he warned.
Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that at least “half” of the capital’s inhabitants were without electricity. Also in neighboring Moldova there were power cuts.
The Russian attacks come four days after the humiliating withdrawal of Moscow forces from the Kherson area, including the regional capital of the same name, after nearly nine months of occupation.
– Zelensky: a “slap in the face of the G20” –
The string of Russian bombings coincides with the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.
President Zelensky called these massive attacks a “slap in the face of the G20”.
“This act of genocide by Ukrainians in response to my peace plan is a cynical slap in the face to the G20 and the world,” Zelensky said online.
The head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, who represented his country in Bali, accused Ukraine of impeding peace talks by demanding that Russian troops leave all territory. Russia has controlled large swathes of the east since 2014, which it formally annexed after the invasion.
“All the problems come from the Ukrainian side, which categorically rejects the negotiations and goes ahead with manifestly unrealistic demands,” Lavrov said.
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