NATO: Missile that Killed Two in Poland Was Accidental

NATO: Missile that Killed Two in Poland Was Accidental

A missile from the war between Russia and Ukraine landed in Poland and killed two people on Tuesday.

NATO and the president of Poland said Wednesday the strike was accidental. They said Ukrainian forces likely launched the missile.

The army was using its anti-missile defense¹ systems against a major Russian air attack at the time Poland was hit.

"It is highly probable that one of these missiles unfortunately fell on Polish territory," said Polish President Andrzej Duda. "There is nothing, absolutely nothing, to suggest that it was an intentional² attack on Poland."

NATO leader Jens Stoltenberg agreed, saying it was not "the result of a deliberate attack."

The words eased tensions that rose on Tuesday when it appeared Russia may have fired the missile into Poland, a NATO country. Stoltenberg said Wednesday, however, that Russia is to blame even if the missile came from Ukraine.

"This is not Ukraine's fault. Russia bears ultimate responsibility."

The war began when Russia invaded Ukraine in February of this year.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is disputing the reports that the missile came from Ukraine and has demanded evidence. He told reporters that Ukraine's top commanders were sure, in Zelenskyy's words, "that it wasn't our missile or our missile strike."

Ukrainian officials should have access to the site and take part in the investigation³, he added.

If Ukrainian defenses, he said, "killed a person, these people, then we need to apologize. We are honest people after all."

Earlier, U.S. President Joe Biden said it was "unlikely" that Russia fired the missile. But, "I'm going to make sure we find out exactly what happened," he added.

Biden spoke⁴ in Indonesia where he is attending the Group of 20 meeting.

Russia's attack on power generation centers and systems Tuesday included Ukraine's western area bordering Poland. Ukraine's military said 77 of the more than 90 missiles fired were brought down by air defenses, along with 11 drones.

The missile in question hit a town in eastern Poland.

"The sound was terrifying," said Ewa Byra, a school director there. She said she knew both men who were killed — one was the husband of a school employee, the other the father of a former student.

Russia said Tuesday none of its missiles were any closer than 21 kilometers from the border with Poland. It also praised Biden's "restrained" comments about the news.

The Russian attacks came just days after Ukraine celebrated⁵ regaining⁶ control in the southern city of Kherson.

Words in This Story

unfortunate –adj. not appropriate or desirable

intentional –n. on purpose

deliberate –adj. something that happens because of a plan

ultimate –adj. coming at the end of a process

access –n. a way of getting near to something

drone –n. a small unmanned flying machine

terrifying –adj. causing great fear

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 intentional   

adj.故意的，有意（识）的

参考例句：

• Let me assure you that it was not intentional.我向你保证那不是故意的。
• His insult was intentional.他的侮辱是有意的。

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

6 regaining   

复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• She was regaining consciousness now, but the fear was coming with her. 现在她正在恢发她的知觉，但是恐怖也就伴随着来了。
• She said briefly, regaining her will with a click. 她干脆地答道，又马上重新振作起精神来。