November 16, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

China's Foreign Ministry called for calm on Wednesday after Poland said a “Russian-made missile” had landed in a village near its border with Ukraine, killing two people.

Asked about the incident in a regular briefing, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said all parties should “remain calm, exercise restraint and prevent the situation from escalating."

Some context: Although China has consistently called for an end to hostilities in Ukraine, it has refused to condemn Russia's invasion. Instead, Beijing has called for the "legitimate security concerns of all parties" to be recognized, while blaming the US and NATO for the conflict.

Beijing and Moscow have become close partners in recent years as both face tensions with the West, with Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin declaring the two countries had a "no-limits" partnership weeks before Russia's invasion began

So far, Beijing has not provided direct military or financial aid to Moscow that could spark sanctions from Washington. Meanwhile, Chinese state media has previously reported on leader Xi Jinping’s support for international peace talks as a mechanism for ending the war. 

A spokesperson with the US National Security Council has declined to comment on reports the “Russian-made missile” that stuck eastern Poland killing two people was fired by Ukrainian forces, trying to intercept a Russian attack.

What did the report say? On Wednesday, the Associated Press reported that three US officials said preliminary assessments suggested the missile was fired by Ukrainian forces in an attempt to intercept an incoming Russian strike. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, according to the AP.

In a statement to CNN on Wednesday, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not explicitly deny the AP report. CNN has reached out to NATO about the AP report, but has not yet heard back.

The explosion: The missile landed outside the rural Polish village of Przewodow, about four miles (6.4 kilometers) west from the Ukrainian border on Tuesday afternoon, roughly the same time as Russia launched its biggest wave of missile attacks on Ukrainian cities in more than a month.

The exact circumstances surrounding the incident, which marks the first time a NATO country has been directly struck during the almost nine-month conflict, remain unclear, though the Polish Foreign Ministry has described it as “Russian-made.”

Both Russian and Ukrainian forces have used Russian-made munitions during the conflict, with Ukraine deploying Russian-made missiles as part of its air defense system. These older-generation weapons systems date back to the period when both Russia and Ukraine were part of the Soviet Union.

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“Most” G20 members states have “strongly condemned” Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to the end of summit joint leaders’ declaration issued in Bali, Indonesia on Wednesday.

The document, which runs to more than 1,100 pages, is not signed by individual attending leaders and acknowledged a difference of opinion at the summit, where scrutiny had fallen on China and India as Western countries pushed for a strong denunciation of the war in the closing statement.

China has repeatedly refused to call Russia’s attack on Ukraine an “invasion” or even a “war,” nor has it condemned Moscow for its military action.

"There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions," the document said. "Recognizing that the G20 is not the forum to resolve security issues, we acknowledge that security issues can have significant consequences for the global economy."

G20 nations, including China, also stated their opposition to the prospect of nuclear weapons being used in conflict.

The G20 leader’s document stated: “The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible. The peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address crises, as well as diplomacy and dialogue, are vital. Today’s era must not be of war.”

European Union leaders and Australia stand “resolutely with Ukraine” and remain “unwavering” in their support for the country amid its war with Russia, according to a joint statement issued Wednesday at the G20 summit in Bali. 

The joint statement from Australian, European Council and European Commission leaders came after a meeting between Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The statement also acknowledged the war in Ukraine has caused “disruption and volatility” of global energy and food markets, and noted the role Australia can play in contributing to the stability of global gas markets through its steady supply to the Indo-Pacific. 

Russia’s international isolation grew Wednesday, as world leaders sought to gain unanimous support in condemning its war in Ukraine that has killed thousands of people and roiled the global economy.

At the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, scrutiny fell on China and India as Western countries pushed for a strong denunciation of the war in a closing statement that was due just hours after Poland said a “Russian-made missile” had landed in a village near its border with Ukraine, killing two people.

It remains unclear who fired that missile. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces have used Russian-made munitions during the conflict, with Ukraine deploying Russian-made missiles as part of their air defense system. But whatever the outcome of the investigation into the deadly strike, the incident underscored the dangers of miscalculation in a brutal war that has stretched on for nearly nine months, and which risks escalating further and dragging major powers into it.

Waking up to the news, US President Joe Biden and leaders from the G7 and NATO convened an emergency meeting in Bali to discuss the explosion. The incident now raises the stakes in an effort by the US and its allies to end the G20 summit with a joint communique denouncing Russia’s war.

The passing of the communique would require the buy-in from leaders that share close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and have until now seemed reluctant to outwardly criticize his invasion — most notably Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who declared a “no-limits” friendship between their countries weeks before the invasion, and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

With the summit set to draw to a close on Wednesday afternoon, all eyes are on what the final declaration will look like, and which countries will sign it.

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Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he respects Russia's denial of involvement in a deadly explosion in Poland, but added that the incident should be investigated.

Two people were killed Tuesday when what Polish authorities said was a "Russian-made missile" landed near the village of Przewodow, about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) west of the Ukrainian border.

Speaking Wednesday at a news conference at the G20 summit in Bali, Erdogan said he “has to respect the declaration made by Russia” that it was not responsible. 

“This morning when I met with the German chancellor Mr. [Olaf] Scholz, we have also agreed that further investigation is needed.”

The circumstances surrounding the incident, including who fired the missile and where it was fired from, remain unclear. Both Ukraine and Russia have used Russian-made munitions during the almost nine-month conflict.

Russian denials: Russia's Defense Ministry said reports of Russian missiles landing in Poland were a "deliberate provocation." The Russian mission at the United Nations on Wednesday reiterated that stance and claimed — without offering evidence or specifically naming any parties — that the incident was an attempt to bring NATO directly into the war in Ukraine.

Some background: Erdogan has played a delicate balancing act since the start of Russia's invasion. He has refused to sign up to Western sanctions against Russia and sought to play something of a peacemaker role between Kyiv and Moscow. The Turkish leader also helped broker a deal between Russia and Ukraine to allow the resumption of grain shipments from Ukraine's Black Sea ports.

US President Joe Biden has left Bali on Air Force One after attending the G20 summit and holding a high-stakes first meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the Indonesian island.

Prior to his departure, Biden held an emergency meeting with G7 and NATO allies on the sidelines of the summit on Tuesday after Poland said a "Russian-made missile" landed on a village near the Ukraine border on Tuesday, killing two people.

Biden said earlier that preliminary information suggested it is unlikely the missile was fired from within Russia.

The Russian mission at the United Nations on Wednesday reiterated Moscow's earlier denials of involvement in a deadly explosion in Poland and claimed — without offering evidence or specifically naming any parties — that the incident was an attempt to bring NATO directly into the war in Ukraine.

Two people were killed Tuesday when what Polish authorities said was a "Russian-made missile" landed near the village of Przewodow, about four miles (6.4 kilometers) west from the Ukrainian border, roughly the same time as Moscow's forces launched their biggest wave of missile attacks on Ukrainian cities in more than a month.

Polyansky said the incident would be the focus of attention at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine later on Wednesday.

Some context: The circumstances surrounding the incident, including who fired the missile and where it was fired from, remain unclear. Both Ukraine and Russia have used Russian-made munitions during the almost nine-month conflict.

Following an emergency meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit, NATO and G7 leaders said they offered "full support" for Poland and would "remain in close touch" to determine the appropriate next steps. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will chair an emergency meeting of alliance ambassadors Wednesday morning in Brussels to discuss the incident.

The deadly explosion of a missile within Poland’s borders on Tuesday “would not have happened without Russia’s horrific missile attacks against Ukraine,” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said in a tweet on Wednesday.

Rutte tweeted a photo of the G7 heads of state alongside NATO members present at the G20 summit in Bali after an emergency meeting held by the group to discuss the incident.

He wrote that the leaders were "united in our message that we first need to establish the facts and therefore support Poland's investigation."

Some context: The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear — including who fired the missile and where it was fired from. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces have used Russian-made munitions during the conflict, with Ukraine deploying Russian-made missiles as part of their air defense system.