According to multiple reports, the Russian-made missile that fell in Poland on Tuesday, was probably fired by Ukrainian forces. This emerging consensus comes after Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials made inflammatory statements blaming Russia.
Following an emergency meeting of G-7 and NATO leaders Tuesday in Bali, Joe Biden acknowledged that the missile probably came from Ukraine, when asked if it had been fired from Russia.
“There is preliminary information that contests that,” Biden told reporters. “It is unlikely in the lines of the trajectory that it was fired from Russia, but we’ll see.”
Polish President Andrzej Duda also said on Wednesday that the missile that landed in Poland was “probably an accident” from the Ukrainian side while intercepting incoming Russian missiles.
🚨 Polish President Andrzej Duda: “Most likely, this was an unfortunate accident.”
He added that the missile was probably part of Ukraine’s air defense.
— annmarie hordern (@annmarie) November 16, 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy, however, immediately blamed Russia on Tuesday, calling it an “attack” that is “a very significant escalation” because it involves NATO.
“Today Russian Missiles hit Poland,” he said in a video posted on social media. “Firing missiles at NATO territory, this is a Russian missile attack on collective security! This is a very significant escalation. We must act.”
He added, “We need to put the terrorist in its place. The longer Russia feels impunity, the more threats there will be for everyone within the reach of Russian missiles.”
In a tweet following the blast, Zelensky said that he had spoken with President Andrzej Duda with whom he “exchanged available information,” and had “clarified all the facts” regarding the “Russian missile terror.”
Had a call with 🇵🇱 President @AndrzejDuda. Expressed condolences over the death of Polish citizens from Russian missile terror. We exchanged available information and are clarifying all the facts. 🇺🇦, 🇵🇱, all of Europe and the world must be fully protected from terrorist Russia.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 15, 2022
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the President Zelensky tweeted on Tuesday that the strikes on Polish territory were “not an accident, but a deliberately planned ‘hello’ from [the Russians] disguised as a mistake.”
Strikes on 🇵🇱 territory — not an accident, but a deliberately planned "hello" from RF, disguised as a "mistake". It happens when evil goes unpunished & politicians engage in "pacification" of aggressor. Ru-terrorist regime must be stopped. Condolences to the victims' relatives.
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) November 15, 2022
U.S. officials told the Associated Press that the missile may have been fired by Ukrainian forces at an incoming Russian missile, as Russia was conducting a series of airstrikes against Ukraine’s electrical infrastructure. The missile landed in Przewodow, a village in eastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, killing two people.
Russia immediately denied any involvement in the explosion.
In the face of increasing evidence that the missile came from their own side, Ukrainian officials appear to be doubling down.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said it was “a conspiracy theory” to suggest missiles were part of Ukrainian air defenses.
Podolyak tweeted “only Russia is responsible for massive missile strikes.” Zelensky’s advisor then called for a no fly zone for Ukraine. “No need to look for excuses and postpone key decisions. Time for Europe to ‘close the sky over 🇺🇦.’ For your own safety too.”
A no-fly zone is defined as “a form of demilitarized zone in which a military power establishes an area over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly. No-fly zones can include preemptive attacks to prevent potential violations, reactive force targeted at violating aircraft, or surveillance with no use of force.”
NATO rejected Ukrainian requests for it to institute a no-fly zone over Ukraine back in March.
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 🇺🇦". For your own safety too…
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) November 16, 2022
In a tweet, political consultant Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia Group, called on Zelensky to retract his statement, as it “undermines credibility and shows lack of coordination w[ith] NATO.”
zelensky should retract this statement. undermines credibility and shows lack of coordination w nato:
“fire missiles at nato territory…a russian missile attack on collective security! this is a very significant escalation. we must act.”
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) November 16, 2022
In a new twist, Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin tried to have it both ways, suggesting that Russia is to blame without admitting that the missile came from the Ukraine side.
“We’ll continue to work closely with our ally Poland and others to gather more information, and we’ll continue to consult closely with our NATO allies and our valued partners,” Austin said during a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which is made up of dozens of pro-Ukraine countries.
“What we do know is the context in which this is unfolding. Russia is facing setback after setback on the battlefield, and Russia is putting Ukrainian civilians and Ukrainian infrastructure in its gunsights,” he added.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg was more direct in blaming Russia after chairing a meeting of NATO ambassadors. “This is not Ukraine’s fault,” he said. “Russia bears ultimate responsibility as it continues its illegal war against Ukraine.”
Financial Times Ukraine correspondent Christopher Miller posted video Wednesday of Zelensky tripling down on “how Russian aggression crossed the Polish border” during an evening address.
“The Ukrainian position is very transparent: we strive to establish every fact. That’s why we need our experts to join the work of the international investigation,” he said.
In nighttime address, Zelensky sticks to his guns on matter of “how Russian aggression crossed the Polish border.”
“The Ukrainian position is very transparent: we strive to establish every fact. That’s why we need our experts to join the work of the international investigation…” pic.twitter.com/7imzLpzD08— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) November 16, 2022
According to Miller, NATO diplomats are losing patience with Zelensky’s shenanigans.
“This is getting ridiculous. The Ukrainians are destroying [our] confidence in them. Nobody is blaming Ukraine and they are openly lying,” the diplomat reportedly said. “This is more destructive than the missile.”
Responding to Zelensky’s remarks tonight, a NATO country diplomat told me: “This is getting ridiculous. The Ukrainians are destroying [our] confidence in them. Nobody is blaming Ukraine and they are openly lying. This is more destructive than the missile.” https://t.co/apvqkAXoAi
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) November 16, 2022
Zelensky’s dishonest messaging comes as the Biden regime asks Congress to provide more than $37 billion in additional war funding to Ukraine. The U.S. sent $13.6 billion in funding to Ukraine in March, and another $40 billion in May.
“That $91.3 billion is 33 percent more than Russia’s *total military spending for the year,*” independent journalist Glenn Greenwald noted on Twitter. “It’s *double* the US’s average annual expenditure for its own war in Afghanistan.”
US funding for war in Ukraine in 9 months:
Mar: $ 13.6 billion
May: $ 40b
Nov: $ 37.7b: Biden's new requestThat $ 91.3 billion is 33% more than Russia's *total military spending for the year*
It's *double* the US's average annual expenditure for its own war in Afghanistan
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) November 16, 2022
Meanwhile, according to reports, the Ukraine government appears to have deleted online records of its fundraising arrangement with crypto scammers FTX, just days before the Democrat donating company filed for bankruptcy.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said in a Tweet Wednesday that she is calling for an audit of all U.S. aid to Ukraine.
“I’m calling for an audit of all US aid and funding to Ukraine,” she wrote. “The American people deserve to know how their money is being spent in defense of another nation’s border while the Biden regime ignores the threat to our national security everyday at our own border.”
I’m calling for an audit of all US aid and funding to Ukraine.
The American people deserve to know how their money is being spent in defense of another nation’s border while the Biden regime ignores the threat to our national security everyday at our own border.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) November 16, 2022