Defense Minister Anita Anand said Tuesday afternoon that she is in contact with Polish authorities regarding reports of two people killed when Russian missiles struck a NATO ally. She also said: "I am receiving updates regarding this report, and I am in very close contact with our Polish allies at this time. It would be unwise for me to comment further."

NATO was formed after World War II and currently includes 30 members deployed in North America and Europe. While the cornerstone of the founding treaty, Article 5, states that any "armed attack" against one member constitutes an attack against all, and may lead to a collective self-defense response from the allies, it is unclear whether Tuesday’s events fall under this category, or if they will fall under Article 4, which states that member states can hold consultations with other members if they feel their security or independence is threatened.

The Associated Press also reported that Russian missiles crossed Polish territory during a massive barrage that hit the Ukrainian power grid and cut electricity to a large part of Moldova. This report was attributed to a senior U.S. intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity, as well as a second source who reportedly confirmed the information.

Polish media also reported that two people were killed Tuesday afternoon after a shell fell on an area where grains were drying in the village of Przizd near the border with Ukraine. The Polish government has not confirmed that Russian missiles struck NATO territory, but a spokesperson said top national leaders are holding an emergency meeting due to the "tense situation."

Additionally, the reports raise concerns that the ongoing war in Ukraine will extend into Eastern Europe and lead to a broader conflict between Russia and the NATO military alliance.

The Russian Ministry of Defense denied carrying out strikes in the area near the Polish-Ukrainian border and accused Polish media and officials of deliberately escalating the situation.

Vedant Patel, Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said the United States has seen the reports and they are "very concerning," adding: "I want to be clear again that we do not want to get ahead of assumptions. We do not yet know what happened. We are working with our partners in the Polish government and our partners in NATO to gather more information and assess what happened. When we make that decision, we will also determine the appropriate next steps."

In the same context, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said in French on Tuesday that she has no specific comments to make, but she, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly are all in contact with the allies.