The ORP Albatros, the second in a series of three modern KORMORAN II minehunter vessels built at the Remontowa shipyard, was officially handed over to the Polish Navy on Friday.

The Kormoran II type ships are used to search for, identify and combat sea mines, conduct reconnaissance of fairways, guide other vessels through hazardous waters, place mines, and remotely control self-propelled anti-mine platforms.

The ship is fitted with technology specialized for the task, including a magnetic steel hull, specialized propulsion and steering systems, as well as sonar, drones, and explosives used to detect and destroy dangerous objects.

The vessels, also known as Mine Countermeasure Vessels (MCMVs), are used in the Polish economic zone and on missions in tactical groups in the Baltic and North Seas as part of NATO, EU, and multinational coalition forces.

An additional Kormoran II class MCMV is under construction with a contract for the delivery of another three units signed earlier this year. The sister vessel to the Albatros, the Kormoran, has been in service since 2017.

Source: Radio Gdańsk

Ukrainian officials have reported that Russian occupation authorities are subjecting civilians to searches and detentions reminiscent of those in the 1930s Soviet Union.

Yuri Sobolevsky, a top Ukrainian official in the southern Kherson region, was quoted by PAP yesterday saying that local residents live in fear of “their backyards filling up with the drone of Ural truck engines and the sound of expletives uttered with a Russian accent.”

In eastern Ukraine, “three-fourths of the population have left the eastern Donetsk region,” the head of the local authorities, Pavlo Kirilenko, told Ukrainian TV. On Friday, Kirilenko reported seven civilians killed and 14 injured over the past 24 hours in the continuing Russian shelling of the region.

The government in Kyiv ordered a compulsory evacuation of eastern Donetsk earlier this month, citing fears of ongoing Russian attacks on civilians and a lack of basic infrastructure and services.

In the neighboring region of Luhansk, local news outlet “Ukrainska Pravda” reported yesterday that Russian troops had failed in their latest attempt to break through Ukrainian defenses and were forced to retreat to previously-held positions.

Today is day 171 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Source: Radio Poland, PAP

The Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) has issued a first-degree heat warning for northwest Poland and most of Pomerania.

Temperatures during the day could be as high as 32°C (90°F), with nighttime temperatures ranging between 14 to 17 degrees Celsius or 57 to 63 degrees Fahrenheit.

The alert was issued for the Pomeranian Voivodeship, specifically including the poviat of Gdańsk, as well as all of the Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeship and the northern regions of the Lubuskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, and Wielkopolskie voivodeships.

The heat warning is in effect until 20:00 on Monday, August 15, with the likelihood it may be increased or extended. More details (in Polish) can be found on the IMGW website: http://meteo.imgw.pl/.

Source: Radio Gdańsk

Time is running out to support Polish film composer Bartosz Chajdecki’s bid to win the prestigious 2022 Public Choice Award of the International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA).

The 42-year-old Polish composer was nominated for his score for “The Champion,” the feature film debut of director Maciej Barczewski. The film tells the story of Tadeusz “Teddy” Pietrzykowski, a pre-war Polish boxing champion who was forced to participate in boxing matches during his three-year internment at Auschwitz.

Chajdecki’s contenders for the Public Choice Award include such household names as Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, Gabriel Yared, and Dario Marianelli.

In a recent interview with Konrad Mielnik of Radio Gdańsk, Chajdecki expressed joy at the positive response his work has received and the opportunity to share his work with a broader audience.

Listeners can hear and vote for Chajdecki’s soundtrack on the website of the World Soundtrack Academy at www.worldsoundtrackawards.com. Voting is open until August 22.

Source: Radio Gdańsk

Weather

Today will be partly cloudy and hot, with a slight chance of rain overnight and a light breeze coming in from the northeast. Temperatures will peak around a high of 26°C, or 78°F, dropping to an overnight low of 17°C or 62°F. Temperatures are expected to increase over the weekend, with a chance for rain returning on Monday and Tuesday.

Elizabeth Peck