A Ukrainian air defence missile likely caused an explosion in eastern Poland, NATO has said.
NATO added there was no indication of a deliberate attack or that Russia was preparing offensive military actions against the bloc.
But, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters that the blame for the explosions lies with Russia.
“This is not Ukraine’s fault. Russia bears ultimate responsibility as it continues its illegal war against Ukraine,” he said.
Germany says it can send its own warplanes to support patrols over Poland following an explosion that killed two people.
Defence ministry spokesman Christian Thiels said at a news conference, “As an immediate reaction to the incidents in Poland, we will offer to strengthen air policing with combat air patrols over its airspace with German Eurofighters”.
“This can happen from tomorrow, if Poland so wishes”.
He said the planes would be launched “from German air bases” without needing to relocate the jets to Poland.
Such patrols take place in “specific airspaces”, which are “agreed exactly with the Polish side”, Thiels said.
A German government spokesperson said that a no-fly zone would threaten direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.
Ukraine’s presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted that European countries should “close the sky” over Ukraine after a missile landed in Poland.
“Only Russia is responsible for the war in Ukraine and massive missile strikes. Only Russia is behind the rapidly growing risks for the border countries. No need to look for excuses and postpone key decisions. Time for Europe to “close the sky over Ukraine”. For your own safety too…”
But the German spokesperson rejected this and said: “Together with all our allies we are agreed that we want to avoid a further escalation of this war in Ukraine.
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda says it is “very likely” that the missile that struck a Polish border village was from Ukraine’s air defence.
“Absolutely nothing indicates that this was an intentional attack on Poland … It’s very likely that it was a rocket used in anti-missile defence, meaning that it was used by Ukraine’s defence forces,” he told reporters.
