It’s Day 35 of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine’s armed forces continue to repel Russian attacks in various parts of the country, but the situation remains tense.
Peace talks resumed yesterday in Istanbul under the shadow of chemical poisoning allegations. No significant progress was reported, despite earlier comments by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine would be willing to compromise on NATO membership and a state of neutrality.
In order to replenish its forces in Ukraine, Russia has reportedly deployed troops from the occupied territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia, and the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces anticipates that the Russians may be shifting their focus to fighting in eastern Ukraine.
According to a press release by Ukraine’s General Staff, Russian troop positions in other regions remain essentially unchanged. Data released on Tuesday also claims that some 17,200 Russian troops have now been killed during the invasion of Ukraine, with other estimates placing the number much higher.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, PAP
Three out of four Poles intend to boycott companies that have not withdrawn from the Russian market, according to a recent study by SW Research Market and Opinion Research Agency.
Companies like Leroy Merlin, Auchan, Danone, Nestle, and Decathlon, were listed as the brands most likely to be boycotted. The study authors noted that the study was conducted before Nestle and Decathlon declared a suspension of their activities in Russia and before Leroy Merlin announced it would be limiting operations there.
Almost two-thirds of respondents expect that Polish companies will stop trading with companies operating in Russia, and 59 percent of respondents believe that a collective boycott would influence the decisions of companies still operating in the Russian market.
A clear majority of respondents (62 percent) felt that companies doing business in Russia should not be allowed to advertise in Poland, while 60 percent of respondents supported the idea that Polish stores should specifically label products of companies still operating in Russia.
According to transaction data from PKO Bank Polski, activity on the bank’s payment cards was lower for retail chains that remained in Russia compared to those no longer operating there.
The survey was carried out from March 21-23 by the research agency SW Research on a sample of 1057 people.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
A crowd of mourners on Tuesday bade a final farewell to outstanding Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki during a state funeral that was held after a two-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Andrzej Duda, former President Aleksander Kwaśniewski and Culture Minister Piotr Gliński were among those who attended the ceremony yesterday in Kraków.
Penderecki was one of the most renowned Polish composers of recent decades. His vast output included orchestral and vocal-instrumental compositions, choral works, four operas, and chamber pieces.
His long list of honors included the Order of the White Eagle, the highest Polish state decoration, and awards from many other countries, in addition to several Grammy statuettes.
His compositions were used in movies such as Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining” and “2001: A Space Odyssey,” along with Martin Scorsese’s “Shutter Island.”
Penderecki passed away in Kraków on March 29, 2020, at the age of 86.
Source: Radio Poland
Poland is on its way to the World Cup in Qatar after defeating Sweden 2-0 in the World Cup qualifier last night at Stadion Śląski in Chorzów.
While Poland could hardly be described as dominating their Swedish rivals in the first half, team captain Robert Lewandowski broke through Swedish defenses to score from a penalty in the 49th minute.
Midfielder Piotr Zieliński made it 2-0 for Poland after an error by the away team’s defense in the 72nd minute, cementing Poland’s spot in the World Cup finals next autumn.
The Poles, under new manager Czesław Michniewicz, went into the match ranked 28th worldwide by football’s governing body FIFA, while Sweden were No. 17 in the FIFA table.
Earlier in March, FIFA banned Russia from the play-offs for the World Cup in Qatar, giving Poland a bye to one of the playoff finals in European qualifying for the World Cup.
The 2022 World Cup will be held in Qatar from November 21 to December 18, and the draw for final’s pairings will take place this Friday in Doha.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland, UEFA.com
Weather
Today will be mostly cloudy and cold, with a good chance for rain or snow in the morning and a strong breeze coming in from the northeast. Temperatures will be colder than yesterday, with a high around 2°C, or 38°F, dropping to freezing overnight lows of -2°C or 29°F. Slightly warmer weather is expected tomorrow, along with a chance for some additional sunshine.
EPeck
