Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to immediately convene a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council concerning the situation in the Black Sea.
According to Zelensky, the conversation on Saturday with Stoltenberg covered issues related to security, including “Russian aggressive actions in the Black Sea.”
Over the past week, Russia has launched nightly airstrikes in and around the port city of Odesa, killing and wounding civilians and destroying supplies and infrastructure used to transport grain and other agricultural goods.
One person was killed and 20 reportedly injured in attacks on Odesa last night, with missile fire causing severe damage to the historic Spaso-Preobrazhenskyi or Transfiguration Cathedral, the largest Orthodox church building in Odesa.
Today is day 515 of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Source: PAP, Reuters
Poland has condemned recent remarks by Russian President Vladimir Putin over post-World War II borders and claims that some territory in Poland was “a gift” from Stalin.
The Polish Foreign Ministry officially summoned the Russian ambassador after Putin said in a speech on Friday that Poland had regained independence thanks to Joseph Stalin’s efforts.
Putin referred to the western territories of Poland as a “gift to the Poles” from the Soviet dictator and suggested that Warsaw was aiming to intervene in Ukraine and annex parts of its territory, a claim Warsaw has vehemently denied.
After a “brief” meeting yesterday with the Russian ambassador, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Paweł Jabłoński told the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that Putin’s “pseudo-historical remarks are actions that Poland perceives solely as provocation. We condemn such attempts to revise history. We condemn the exploitation of this for propaganda purposes and hybrid warfare.”
In a post on Twitter, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called Stalin “a war criminal responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Poles,” stressing that “the historical truth is beyond doubt.”
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Polskie Radio
Patients and staff in the Copernicus Hospital near Nowe Ogrody in Gdańsk were forced to evacuate last night after a fire broke out in a cupboard of one of the rooms in the surgery ward.
No injuries or casualties were reported from the fire, which broke out sometime around 20:00 Saturday evening. According to rescuers, 27 patients and 6 employees, including ten people from the intensive care unit, had to be evacuated due to heavy smoke.
The fire was reportedly extinguished quickly, with the exact cause yet to be determined.
Source: Radio Gdansk, Polskie Radio
The 763rd edition of the St. Dominic’s Fair opened yesterday in Gdańsk with the traditional passing of the “keys to the city” to visiting merchants.
The opening ceremonies on Saturday included a 763-note trumpet fanfare composed by Gdańsk trumpeter Paweł Hulisz and a colorful parade that included the traditional symbols of the Fair – the god Hermes, patron of merchants, and the Crimson Rooster, the mascot of St. Dominic.
In addition to nearly 700 different art, commercial, and culinary vendors, the fair also offers a variety of other attractions, including concerts, DJ sets, theatre performances for children and adults, and open-air film screenings.
Of particular note this year are thematic streets or uliczki dedicated to designers from Vilnius, Pomerania, and Poland, as well as thematic zones, including a kid’s activity zone, Przystanek Przygoda near Targ Rybny, and an entertainment and concert area “under the sails” on Ołowianka island.
Vendor stalls are open daily from 10:00-20:00 until the end of the festival on August 13. More information is available on the Jarmark Dominikański website.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, gdansk.pl
The Polish men’s volleyball team will face the United States tonight in the finals of the Volleyball Nations League after triumphing over Japan 3-1 last night at Ergo Arena in Gdańsk.
Tonight’s sold-out match promises to be a thrilling matchup of both teams. The US dominated Italy 3-0 on Saturday and now seems poised to take the tournament trophy after losing to France in the finals last year.
The Polish team is also spoiling for a rematch, however, after the US knocked them out of the 2022 tournament, with the Polish team going on to defeat Italy and finish in third place.
Tonight’s US vs. Poland match is set to start at 20:00 at Ergo Arena and will be broadcast live on Radio Gdańsk.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, volleyballworld.com
Weather
Today will start off overcast with a chance of rain showers throughout and winds coming from the south and west. Temperatures will be similar to yesterday, with a daytime high of 21°C or 70°F, dropping to a low of 13°C or 56°F overnight. Warmer weather is expected tomorrow, with an increasing chance of rain overnight on Tuesday.
Elizabeth Peck/aKa
