It’s Day 40 of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine has regained control of areas around Kyiv and liberated some 30 settlements in the region, exposing potential war crimes in the wake of the Russian retreat.
Russian troops have given up the blockade and seizure of Kyiv and are withdrawing from the Sumy region and shifting their focus and resources to the Donbas region in the east.
Missile attacks were reported overnight in other locations, including Kherson, Odesa, and Ternopil, with Russian missiles destroying a fuel depot in Odesa early Sunday morning.
Source: Radio Gdansk
Polish officials have called for an emergency meeting of the European Council over potential Russian war crimes in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, near Kyiv.
Ukraine’s foreign minister on Sunday accused Russian forces of carrying out a “massacre” in the town, while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described images of dead bodies there as “a punch in the gut.”
In a post on Facebook yesterday, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called the devastation in Bucha “an alarm bell for Europe and the world” and accused the Russian military of “acts of genocide.” He went on to call for an emergency meeting of the European Council to hold “Putin’s criminal and increasingly totalitarian regime” accountable, including imposing “sanctions which actually work.”
The Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zbigniew Rau, also called on the international community to help Ukraine investigate the actions of the Russian army in the region around Kyiv.
The international human rights NGO, Human Rights Watch, has already documented “apparent war crimes” such as threats against civilians, rapes, and extrajudicial killings in the occupied regions around Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv.
The Russian Defense Ministry has called the reports and photographs from Bucha “a provocation,” claiming that “not a single local resident suffered from any violent actions…during the time that Russian armed forces were in control of this settlement….”
Source: Radio Poland, New York Times, Reuters
A Polish humanitarian convoy carrying 1,500 tons of food successfully reached the cities of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia in eastern Ukraine on Saturday evening.
The convoy was organized as a joint effort between the Polish Prime Minister’s Office and Poland’s Strategic Reserves Agency.
Food shortages continue to be a severe problem in many parts of Ukraine, particularly in the besieged cities of Kharkiv and Mariupol, as well as cities of refuge, such as Zaporizhzhia.
Besides food, Poland has also sent medical supplies and vehicles, such as fire trucks, along with tents, beds, blankets, mobile power generators, and satellite internet equipment.
Source: Radio Poland
Poczta Polska recently announced that certain humanitarian aid to Ukraine could be shipped free of charge starting April 1.
As of last Friday, residents can send one humanitarian parcel valued up to EUR 100 and weighing up to 20 kg to Ukraine free of charge as part of Poczta Polska’s “Pomoc Ukrainie” or “Help Ukraine” campaign.
The parcels must meet certain conditions to take advantage of free shipping: the value of the contents may not exceed EUR 100 or 20kg, the addressee must be a natural person or legal entity, and the parcel must be clearly marked with a sticker, inscription, or imprint declaring it as “Humanitarian Aid.”
Poczta Polska has also noted that, due to ongoing hostilities, not all territories of Ukraine can be accessed by the Ukrainian postal service.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Authorities in Gdynia are warning residents and outdoor enthusiasts to be on alert for wild boars, particularly sows, during the spring breeding period currently underway.
The natural forested habitat of wild boars makes up nearly half (45%) of the territory of Gdynia, and many boars have moved closer to human settlements in search of readily available food.
Boars are regularly seen in the areas of Chyloń, Pustki Cisowskie, Karwiny, Dąbrowa and Leszczynki, among others.
According to Leonard Wawrzyniak of the EkoPatrol of Gdynia’s City Guard, sows will stay in the same location after giving birth and may become aggressive during this time if they are disturbed or feel threatened.
The boars typically do not attack without being provoked, says Wawrzyniak. Officials advise those who encounter boars in residential areas to remain calm and notify municipal police by calling 986.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will be mostly cold and overcast in Gdańsk, with a good chance for rain throughout the day and strong winds coming in from the southwest. Temperatures will be slightly warmer than yesterday, with a high around 7°C, or 45°F, dropping to an overnight low of 3°C or 37°F. Colder weather is expected tomorrow, along with a chance for some light rain in the early morning and the potential for snow overnight.
Elizabeth Peck
