Blame for a missile hitting a Polish village close to the Ukrainian border “belongs solely to Russia”, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said.
Mr Sunak acknowledged it is possible the explosion, which killed two people, was caused by Ukrainian munitions deployed in self-defence.
But Mr Sunak said Ukraine could not be blamed for trying to defend itself from a “barrage” of missiles launched by Russia.
A deliberate attack on Poland, which is a Nato member, would have required a joint response by the alliance, raising the risk of war with Russia.
But some of the tensions have been eased by the likely attribution of the hit to Ukrainian defence forces.
Mr Sunak, making a statement to the Commons on the G20 summit in Indonesia, told MPs: “On the very day I and others confronted the Russia foreign minister across the G20 summit table with the brutality of his country’s actions, on the very day that President Zelensky addressed the G20 with a plan to stop the war, Russia launched over 80 separate missile strikes on Ukraine.
“The targets were innocent people and civilian infrastructure, the aim, to cast the population into darkness and cold.
“Once again Russia has shown its barbarity and given the lie to any claim that they are interested in peace.
“During the bombardment of Ukraine on Tuesday an explosion took place in eastern Poland. The investigation into this incident is ongoing and it has our full support.
The blame belongs solely to Russia— Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
“As we’ve heard the Polish and American presidents say, it is possible the explosion was caused by Ukrainian munition which was deployed in self-defence.
“And whether or not this proves to be the case no blame can be placed on a country trying to defend itself against such a barrage. The blame belongs solely to Russia.”
Poland’s president Andrzej Duda said it was “most probably a Russian-made missile” which struck the village of Przewodow, an area where grain was being dried.
The Ukrainian forces still operate some former Soviet and Russian munitions, including S-300 air defence missiles.
