BackWar overspill: Russian missiles targeting Ukraine cross into Poland, kills two
A Russian missile barrage on the Ukrainian power grid sent the war spilling over into neighboring countries Tuesday, hitting NATO member Poland and cutting electricity to much of Moldova
PremiumOn Tuesday, a Russian missile barrage on the Ukrainian power grid caused the war to spread to nearby nations, hitting NATO member Poland and cutting off electricity to a large portion of Moldova. According to a US official, it was Russia's heaviest barrage yet, and some of the missiles crossed into Poland and killed two people there. It was the first time during the conflict that Russian weapons had been used against a member of NATO.
The information was provided by a senior US intelligence official who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation. Polish government spokesman Piotr Mueller did not immediately confirm the information. Mueller, however, claimed that a "crisis situation" was the reason for the urgent meeting of top leaders.
In Przewodów, a Polish village close to the Ukrainian border, a projectile struck an area where grain was drying on Tuesday afternoon, according to Polish media. According to reports, two people were killed.
Moldova, a nearby country, was also impacted. After the strikes destroyed a crucial power line supplying the tiny nation, it reported widespread power outages, an official said.
Zelenskyy claimed that Russia launched at least 85 missiles, the majority of which were directed at the nation's power plants and resulted in the blackout of numerous cities. “We’re working, will restore everything. We will survive everything," the president vowed.
Ukraine's energy minister Herman Haluschenko said the attack was “the most massive" bombardment of power facilities in the nearly 9-month-old Russian invasion, striking both power generation and transmission systems.
After the Kremlin suffered defeats in the military and diplomatic spheres, the minister characterised the missile strikes as "another attempt at terrorist vengeance." On the verge of winter, he charged, Russia was "trying to cause maximum damage to our energy system."
Following days of euphoria in Ukraine brought on by one of its biggest military victories—the retaking last week of the southern city of Kherson—the aerial assault, which resulted in at least one death in a residential building in the capital, Kyiv, ended with the death of one person.
Previous attacks that destroyed an estimated 40% of the nation's energy infrastructure battered the power grid severely.
Since his troops withdrew in the face of an offensive by Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has made no comments regarding the withdrawal from Kherson. The striking size of the strikes on Tuesday, however, spoke for itself and suggested that the Kremlin was angry.
Zelenskyy warned that more strikes were possible and urged people to stay safe and seek shelter.
(With inputs from AP)
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