A Russian-made missile crossed into Poland on Tuesday, killing two people in an explosion marked as the first Russian strike to ever come down on NATO territory, the Associated Press reported.
Following an attack on Ukraine that caused widespread blackouts, the AP cited a senior U.S. intelligence official, attributing the missile strike in Poland to poor Russian guidance technology.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russia fired at least 85 missiles, most of them aimed at Ukraine’s power facilities.
Zelenskyy told the AP that the stray missile was proof that “terror is not limited by our state borders.”
The Ukrainian president further warned that more strikes were imminent and urged people to seek shelter.
Despite Polish government officials confirming the Russian missile strike, the Russian Defense Ministry denied being behind any attacks near the Ukrainian-Polish border, the AP said.
After hearing about the strike, President Joe Biden, in Bali for the Group of 20 Summit, called for an emergency meeting of the Group of Seven and NATO leaders Wednesday morning, the AP said.
Biden then took to Twitter to express his “deep condolences” for the death of two Polish citizens.
He offered “full support for Poland’s investigation of the explosion,” and reaffirmed the United States’ “ironclad commitment to NATO.”
Bogdan Pukszta, executive director of the Polish American Chamber of Commerce in Chicago, said he was appalled but not shocked to hear the news of the strike.
“You can expect anything from” Russia, Pukszta said.
“We’re just hoping that both Poland and NATO are prepared to respond to something like this.”