Eight Russian cruise missiles struck a reservoir dam on the Inhulets river in the southern Ukrainian city of Krivyi Rih last night, fueling fears of flooding in the region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a native of Krivyi Rih, wrote on social media that Russia was attempting “to sink Krivyi Rih” by damaging critical hydrological infrastructure.
In his late-night address on Wednesday, Zelensky stressed that the dam had “no military value at all” and was an attempt by “scoundrels who, having escaped from the battlefield, are trying to inflict harm from somewhere far away.”
In posts on Telegram last night, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, a senior official in Zelensky’s office, warned that a “significant volume” of “100 cubic meters of water were leaking from the dam every second” and “about 600,000 people are now at risk of flooding in the center and another district of the city.”
Tymoshenko went on to state that emergency services were dealing with the effects of the strikes and the situation was “under control,” according to reports by Polish state news agency PAP. Local officials claim an unspecified number of inhabitants have already been evacuated, and over a hundred farms in the area are flooded.
Inhulets is a strategic waterway that also flows through the southern Kherson region, where Ukrainian forces are reportedly conducting an additional counter-offensive.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland, bbc.com
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently unveiled a range of proposals for member states to tackle the energy crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The European Commission’s proposals include imposing cuts in electricity use across the 27-nation bloc and enacting measures to cap revenues from low-cost electricity generators and force fossil fuel firms to share profits from soaring energy prices.
“In these times,” von der Leyen extolled, “profits must be shared and channeled to those who need it most… our proposal will raise more than EUR 140 billion for member states to cushion the blow directly.”
During her 2022 State of the Union Address on Tuesday, von der Leyen repeatedly referenced the importance of energy independence ad European solidarity in reaffirming the European Union’s support for Ukraine, vowing that “Putin will fail and Europe will prevail.”
The European Commission in July called for a 15 percent cut in natural gas use by EU member states as part of efforts to deal with the energy crisis caused by Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Source: Radio Poland, Reuters
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki took time yesterday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the birth of Father Jerzy Popiełuszko, a leading icon of the Solidarity movement and a victim of Communist repression.
Popiełuszko was a chaplain for Poland’s Solidarity freedom movement and a beacon of hope following the communist regime’s crackdown on the democratic opposition and the imposition of martial law in Poland in December 1981.
On October 19, 1984, Popiełuszko was abducted, tortured, and murdered by communist secret police officers. He has since been recognized as a martyr by the Roman Catholic Church and was beatified on June 6, 2010.
In a commemorative post on Facebook, Morawiecki recalled Father Popieluszko’s admonition to “overcome evil with good,” saying the words “have not lost their topicality” after “giving comfort in the difficult years of communism” and continue “to give people strength today.”
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland
Poland pulled off a historic upset last night by defeating former champions Slovenia 90-87 in the quarterfinals of the FIBA Men’s EuroBasket 2022 tournament in Berlin.
Led by captain Mateusz Ponitka and forward Michał Sokołowski, the Polish team dominated their Slovenian rivals up until halftime, with the Slovenes making a comeback and leading by four coming into the fourth quarter (period).
With a packed crowd in Berlin on the edge of their seats, the Poles managed to come out on top to secure a spot in the final four of the tournament – a feat Poland hasn’t accomplished since 1971.
Poland will face off against 4th-ranked France tomorrow at 17:15 in Berlin for a chance to advance to the finals.
The EuroBasket 2022 tournament is set to wrap up on Sunday, September 18.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, fiba.basketball
Weather
Today will start off overcast and a bit rainy in the morning, with clearer skies and some sun appearing in the afternoon, and a brisk wind coming in from the west. Temperatures will stay on the cool side, with a high of 17°C, or 62°F in the afternoon, dropping to a low of 10°C or 50°F overnight. Cool temps and cloudy weather will remain in the forecast into next week, with a chance for additional rain over the weekend.
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Elizabeth Peck/raf
