Home › Politics › Patriots for Poland and a terrorism designation
Patriots for Poland and a terrorism designation
Summary
A look back at the diplomatic moves in the days before 24 November 2022, as Europe responded to Russian strikes and a missile blast in Poland.
What had Europe done in response to the pressure of Russia's war by 24 November 2022? Two decisions from the preceding days stood out: one aimed at protecting Poland's skies, the other at labelling Russia's conduct.
On 22 November 2022, Germany said it would deploy Patriot surface-to-air missile systems on the Poland–Ukraine border to protect Polish airspace. Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said he had accepted the German proposal.
The offer followed a missile explosion in Poland. On 15 November 2022, a missile struck the village of Przewodów, near the border with Ukraine, killing two people. It came during Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure. Ukraine initially accused Russia of striking Poland, while the United States said the missile was likely an air-defence missile fired by Ukrainian forces at an incoming Russian missile. Later, in September 2023, the Polish Prosecutor's Office stated that the blast was caused by an out-of-control Ukrainian S-300 air-defence missile.
A parliamentary designation
On 23 November 2022, the European Parliament designated Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. It cited Russian military strikes on civilian targets in Ukraine, including critical infrastructure, hospitals, schools and bomb shelters.
Taken together, the two steps showed allies acting on both the practical and the political level: one on air defence along a border with Ukraine, the other on how Russia's attacks on civilians were characterised.
