A Russian rocket strike on Monday hit a crowded shopping mall in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk, causing a massive fire and injuring dozens.
The attack occurred at 15:50 Ukraine time, while over 1,000 shoppers and employees were in the shopping center.
At least 16 people have been confirmed dead and 60 injured, according to figures issued by Ukrainian emergency services late Monday evening. Officials expect the number of victims to increase notably as rescue teams continue their work.
Kremenchuk, situated in the Poltava region on the Dnieper river, is one of Ukraine’s largest industrial cities.
Today is the 125th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Source: Radio Poland, Reuters
The 2022 NATO security summit kicks off today in Madrid, with Poland expected to call for a stronger presence on NATO’s eastern flank.
Polish deputy foreign minister Marcin Przydacz told public broadcaster Polish Radio that Poland Poland would specifically ask for a bigger NATO presence around the Suwałki Gap, the strategic land corridor surrounding Russia’s westernmost territory of Kaliningrad.
According to Przydacz, the Suwałki gap is “not just a Polish issue. It’s also an issue for other allies who recognize that the few dozen kilometers between Kaliningrad and Belarus represent a weak point on NATO’s geo-political map.”
Earlier this month, the Polish government said it would push for more NATO troops on the eastern flank to be stationed in permanent bases.
The Madrid summit, scheduled for June 28-30, will feature heads of state and government from NATO’s 30 member countries, as well as representatives from Australia, Finland, Georgia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Sweden, the European Council, and the European Commission.
Source: Radio Poland, PAP
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was in Gdańsk on Monday to take part in the annual Maritime Convention.
The event was devoted to the future of the Polish Navy’s fleet, the construction of Polish ferries, and the training of workers for the shipbuilding and maritime industries.
During his speech, Morawiecki referred to the Polish coast as “a great opportunity, a guarantee of security and a symbol of freedom,” pointing to Poland’s development as inherently dependent upon maritime industries like shipbuilding.
“…from Szczecin to Elbląg, through our wonderful Tri-City,” he proclaimed, “we create and will create further components of the entire maritime industry, which will then be the driving force of the entire Polish industry.”
According to Morawiecki, investments such as the Vistula Spit cut and the tunnel to Świnoujście have been made possible due to efforts by his government to restore the public finance system and the Polish state budget.
The Maritime Convention is an advisory body to the Ministry of Infrastructure, composed of specialists from the maritime economy. Its task is, among other things, to provide opinions on the directions of the ministry’s activities in the area of maritime economy, recommend initiatives, and submit projects to be dealt with by the ministry.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Polish tennis star Hubert Hurkacz crashed out in the first round of Wimbledon on Monday after losing to Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6:7, 4:6, 7:5, 6:2, 6:7(8)
Hurkacz came to London straight after winning the Halle Open grass-court tournament in Germany, where he beat world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in the final.
Despite high hopes for Wimbledon, the 25-year-old world No. 10 lost the first two sets against Fokina before fighting back to level the scores. The fifth set went right to the wire with Hurkacz 6-3 up in the super-tie break, but Fokina ultimately triumphed in the super-tie break, 10-8.
There was better news for Poland in the women’s tournament after Maja Chwalińska, Katarzyna Kawa, and Magda Linette all advanced to the second round after winning their first matches.
World No. 1 Iga Świątek is set to play Croatia’s Jana Fett on Wimbledon’s famed Centre Court today at 14:30 Warsaw time.
Source: Radio Poland, wtatennis.com
Weather
Today will be partly cloudy but still hot, with a chance for rain in the afternoon and a light breeze coming in from the northwest. Temperatures will peak around a high of 27°C, or 81°F, dropping to an overnight low of 14°C or 58°F. Cooler weather is expected for tomorrow, with hot weather and additional thunderstorms appearing later in the week.
Elizabeth Peck/aKa
