Ukraine has formally called for Russia’s removal from the United Nations, including its permanent membership on the UN Security Council.

Ukraine’s official statement to the UN claims Russia “illegally occupies the seat of the USSR in the UN Security Council” following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Unlike the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the statement claims, “the Russian Federation has never gone through the legal procedure to be admitted to membership” and is therefore not legally a member of the United Nations or the Security Council

The statement went on to point out that the “three decades” of Russia’s “illegal presence in the UN have been marked by wars and seizures of other countries’ territories.”

Kyiv made the demand ten months into Moscow’s offensive and as Russia’s defiant leader Vladimir Putin accused the West of trying to “tear apart” his country.

Russia still occupies an estimated 17% of Ukraine, while some 9 million Ukrainians, roughly the population of Hungary, are currently without electricity due to continued Russian shelling of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Source: Radio Poland, Reuters, mfa.gov.ua

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on Monday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to support Ukraine’s 10-point peace formula at the next G20 summit in Delhi.

The Ukrainian peace plan calls for the punishment of those responsible for war crimes, the withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukrainian territory, the restoration of the country’s territorial integrity, and the release of all prisoners of war and deportees. The plan also includes measures to prevent the destruction of the natural environment along with protections for the energy, agriculture, and nuclear safety sectors.

India recently took over the rotating, year-long presidency of the G20, an organization that incorporates the European Union plus 19 of the world’s biggest economies. Finance ministers from each G20 state typically meet once a year to establish common goals and financial policy.

Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland, Reuters

Acclaimed Polish actor and director Emilian Kamiński passed away on Monday at the age of seventy after a prolonged illness.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki bid his last farewell to Kamiński via a post on Facebook. “It is difficult to list all his activities and successes,” wrote Morawiecki, “but the next generation of Poles will remember his great acting creations, his great patriotism, and [his] simple decency.”

Kamiński had over a hundred theater, film, and musical roles to his credit. He was recently awarded the “Gloria Artis” medal for his service to culture by Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage Piotr Gliński.

Kamiński made his stage debut in 1975 playing the part of D’Artagnan in “The Three Musketeers.” He later gained popularity as a TV actor playing painter Jerzy in “The Follies of Miss Eva,” a TV series based on the novel by Kornel Makuszyński.

Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland

Over a hundred plush toys were recently donated for use in Słupsk police cars, where the new mascots will provide comfort to victims of police interventions, including children.

Students from Primary School No. 9 in Słupsk donated the teddy bears and plush toys, which police in Słupsk will now use to distract and provide comfort to children and other victims in distress.

As Jakub Bagiński, spokesperson for the municipal command explained, the plush toys will be used in rescue operations such as fires, accidents, and domestic violence interventions, all of which can be extremely stressful for children.

Two weeks ago, children from Parchów engaged in a similar initiative by donating toys to police officers from Bytów.

Source: Radio Gdańsk

The National Research Institute of the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) has issued a first-degree warning for strong winds today in parts of Pomerania.

IMGW-PIB issued a strong wind advisory for the districts of Lębork, Puck, Słupsk, and Wejherowo. The advisory went into effect last night at 19:00 and will remain in force until Tuesday night at 19:00.

Winds in the affected areas are expected to average between 40-55 km or 25-35 miles per hour, with gusts reaching up to 85 km or over 50 miles per hour.

Local officials are urging residents to exercise caution and avoid outdoor activities during this period, as winds at this speed may be life-threatening and have the potential to cause serious material damage.

Source: Radio Gdańsk

Weather

Today will be a mix of clouds and sun with a chance for rain showers in the early afternoon and a strong breeze coming from the west. Temperatures will be colder than yesterday, with a high of 4°C, or 40°F, dropping to a low of 1°C or 34°F overnight. Similar weather is expected tomorrow, with warmer temps over the weekend.

Elizabeth Peck/pb