Explosion kills two in Poland near Ukraine border

Two people were killed in an explosion in Przewodow, a village in eastern Poland near the border with Ukraine, leading to accusations that a Russian airstrike was behind the explosion. 

The Associated Press cited a senior U.S. intelligence official as saying the blast was due to Russian missiles crossing into Poland.

NATO is currently 'looking into' reports of missiles hitting Poland, according to the AFP.

However, the Pentagon said on Tuesday it could not confirm reports that Russian missiles had crossed into Poland.

"Firefighters are on the spot, it's not clear what has happened," said Lukasz Kucy, officer on duty at a nearby firefighters' post.

Polish Radio ZET reported earlier that two stray missiles hit Przewodow on Tuesday, killing two people, without giving any more details.

Moscow's defence minister on Tuesday dismissed reports that Russian missiles had landed in Poland, which borders Ukraine, as a "provocation" intended to escalate tensions.

"Statements by Polish media and officials about Russian missiles hitting Polish territory are a deliberate provocation aimed at escalating the situation," the Russian defence minister said on Telegram.

Latvian Deputy Prime Minister Artis Pabriks sent condolences to Poland in a tweet.

"Criminal Russian regime fired missiles which target not only Ukrainian civilians but also landed on NATO territory in Poland," he wrote. "Latvia fully stands with Polish friends and condemns this crime."

The White House "cannot confirm" reports coming out of Poland and is working with the Polish government to gather more information, National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said on Tuesday to Reuters.

Russia was pounding cities across Ukraine with missiles on Tuesday, in attacks that Kyiv said were the heaviest wave of missile strikes in nearly nine months of war. Some hit Lviv, which is less than 80 km (50 miles) from the border with Poland.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has called an urgent meeting of a government committee for national security and defence affairs, government spokesman Piotr Muller said on Twitter.

A government security spokesman and a representative of the prime minister's office declined to comment further.

State-run news agency PAP reported that the Polish government would hold a meeting at 2000 GMT.

Muller told reporters later on Tuesday that the committee was convened due to the "crisis situation", adding that relevant information will be presented to the public later. He called on media not to publish "unverified information" in the meantime.