Russian shelling continues to exact a heavy toll on civilians in Ukraine as the war enters its 128th day. Fourteen people died, and 30 were injured late Thursday night after Russian rockets hit an eight-story residential building in the Białogród district of the Odessa oblast.
According to a Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesman for the regional authorities, a rescue operation is currently underway, with seven people, including children, already excavated from under the rubble. Elsewhere in the Odessa oblast, three people, including one child, were killed and one person injured in an attack on a resort. In Mykolaiv, the death toll of the Russian rocket attack on a residential building on Wednesday has increased to eight, according to the press service of the State Ambulance Service in Mykolaiv Oblast.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Snake Island, a site of the opening salvo of the invasion and the now-famous response to calls for surrender by a Russian warship, has been liberated by Ukrainian forces. Andrij Jermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, confirmed via Telegram yesterday that „there are no more Russians” on Snake Island.
In Jermak’s nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised Ukrainian forces for „significantly limit[ing] the actions of the occupiers. Step by step, we will push them back from our sea, our land, and our sky.”
Russia has described the „withdrawal” from Snake Island as a „gesture of goodwill” to prove it was not blocking UN attempts to open a humanitarian corridor for Ukrainian grain shipments.
Source: Radio Poland, Reuters
Polish President Andrzej Duda praised NATO leaders at the close of the 2022 NATO summit yesterday for their response to „the threat from Russia” and the ensuing need to improve the security of NATO allies. During the summit, NATO leaders endorsed a new strategic concept to describe Russia as „the most significant and direct threat to Allies’ security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.”
The declaration was bolstered by formal invitations to Finland and Sweden to join the alliance, as well as an announcement by US President Joe Biden that Washington would create a permanent headquarters for the US Army’s V Corps in Poland.
During the summit, Biden also announced that the US would provide a further USD 800 million worth of military aid to Ukraine in the form of air defense systems, artillery, ammunition, and counter-battery radar. „We are going to support Ukraine as long as it takes,” Biden promised. His remarks were reportedly a welcome contrast to the official NATO summit declaration, which „welcome[d] efforts of all Allies engaged in providing support to Ukraine. We will assist them adequately, recognizing their specific situation.”
Source: Radio Poland, PAP, Reuters
Poland’s Iga Świątek has advanced to the third round of Wimbledon with a tough three-set win over Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove of the Netherlands. On Thursday, she defeated the Dutch qualifier 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in their second-round women’s singles match, extending Świątek’s winning streak to 37 matches.
Iga Świątek will next face Alizé Cornet of France in a match set for Saturday afternoon. She was joined in victory yesterday by Magdalena Fręch, who also advanced to the third round with a straight-set (6-4, 6-4) win over Slovakia’s Anna Karolína Schmiedlová. Fręch, ranked world No. 92 by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), will now face Romania’s world No. 18 Simona Halep for a place in the fourth round. Both matches are set for tomorrow, with Fręch also competing in the second round of doubles today at noon.
Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko, who defeated fellow Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina earlier this week, will face off against Jule Niemeier of Germany today at noon.
Source: Radio Poland, wtatennis.com
Weather
Today will be mostly sunny and hot, with a good chance of thunderstorms in the late afternoon and a light breeze coming in from the southeast. Temperatures will peak around a high of 33°C, or 92°F, dropping to an overnight low of 17°C or 63°F. Cooler, wet weather is expected tomorrow, with a good chance of rain in the early morning.
Posłuchaj:
Elizabeth Peck/MarWer
