Poland’s President said on Wednesday that it appears that a Ukrainian air defence missile most likely unintentionally caused a deadly explosion on its territory a day earlier.

President Andrzej Duda noted that Russian forces had launched a barrage of missile strikes on Ukraine on Tuesday. He said that early indications suggested that Ukrainian efforts to counter the barrage had caused an “unfortunate accident” in Poland — not a direct attack on his country.

“We have no evidence at the moment that it was a rocket launched by Russian forces,” Duda told reporters.

“However, there are many indications that it was a missile that was used by Ukraine’s anti-missile defence.”

His remarks echoed those of western officials, who said earlier that the explosion was likely caused by a Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile trying to knock out an incoming Russian missile.

As Nato ambassadors met to discuss Tuesday’s events, the officials emphasised that an investigation was ongoing. But they said that as more evidence emerged, it seemed likely that the missile hit was errant — not aimed at Poland.

Ukraine’s foreign minister has denied that one of their missiles was involved in the explosion, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyhas called an “escalation” by Russia. Moscow has denied involvement and says that it did not aim any missiles at theborder with Poland on Tuesday. The defence minister ofBelgium, Ludivine Dedonder, said in a Twitter message that “based on current information, the strikes in Poland seem to be a result of Ukrainian air defence”.

“Pieces of Russian missiles and a Ukrainian interception missile are said to have landed in Poland,” she said.

“To be confirmed by ongoing investigations.” The US and its allies offered their “full support andassistance”.

New York Times News Service