re: Why were air defense missiles pointed at Poland in the first place?

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I THINK that most of these counter-missiles are fired from BEHIND the cruise missile target and then home-in on the heat signature of the cruise missile. Assume that a Russian missile is fired from the vicinity of Kursk or Rostov. It crosses Ukraine, headed westward for L'viv. As it nears L'viv, a counter missile is fired at it (from behind). If the counter missile HITS the cruise missile, debris from BOTH continue westward and may well land in Poland. If the counter missile MISSES the cruise missile, the counter missile continues westward and may well land in Poland. It MAY be possible to hit and destroy that Rostov-to-L'viv cruise missile if you fire your counter missile head-on or from either the north or the south (each of which would be less likely to pepper Poland), but I think that your chances of actually HITTING the cruise missile and saving lives in L'viv is MUCH lower using that trajectory.

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Air defense SAM's don't typically use infrared guidance for the obvious reason you mentioned. The best aspect ratio to attack from is the rear quarter which isn't ideal for a system designed to prevent you from getting hit (and also leaves the air defense system itself vulnerable to strike).

Usually you find Infrared on AAM's.

I highly doubt these are coming from Kursk or Rostov either. Russia has been using the Tupolev bombers to launch Kh-101 and 555 cruise missiles from Belarussian airspace (for obvious reasons of reduced transit time and less air defenses to pass through).

A battery positioned around Lviv which shot at one though could easily land in Poland (Assume firing in a NNW or NW angle)

Interesting. Contrary to some of what I recall seeing early in the war, but it certainly makes sense. Thx