Explosions rocked many regions of Ukraine yesterday morning as Russia continued its air attacks on energy facilities and other civilian targets.
Some 1.5 million Ukrainians were left without electricity after Russia damaged critical infrastructure across the country, with the English version of the website Ukrainska Pravda warning that “damage to energy facilities” from yesterday’s strikes “may exceed consequences of the attacks on 10-11 October.”
Kyrylo Tymoshenko, Deputy Head of the Office of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reported via Telegram that Russian missile strikes had knocked out electricity for many residents in the Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, and Volyn regions in the west, the provinces of Mykolaiv and Odesa in the south, and the central provinces of Cherkasy and Kirovohrad.
In the wake of Saturday’s strikes, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on Western countries to provide his country with air defense systems without „a minute of delay.” The Air Force of Ukraine claims it shot down 18 missiles out of nearly three dozen launches yesterday.
Since the beginning of October, Russian airstrikes on cities across Ukraine have resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries, along with damage to critical civilian infrastructure, particularly facilities providing heating, electricity, and water.
Source: Radio Poland, Radio Gdańsk
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was at the Port of Gdańsk yesterday to chair a Coal Task Force meeting focused on the distribution of coal from Polish ports.
Morawiecki told reporters during a briefing that Poland is “bringing in coal” from 17 countries “across the world,” which is now being “triple-checked for quality.” He added that around a million tons of coal were ready to be distributed from the port of Gdańsk and more than two million tons from other Polish ports.
Morawiecki later praised Poland’s response to the “unprecedented challenge” of replacing Russian coal after banning Russian imports in response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Government officials have reportedly given municipalities a great deal of discretion regarding the the sales and distribution of the imported coal. According to Morawiecki, over 1,000 communes declared that they would buy coal from importers directly. Other communes plan to work through municipal companies or have signed contracts with local storage facilities, while still others have formed associations of municipalities or organized sales through local poviats.
Under a bill going through the Polish parliament, households will be able to buy coal from local governments for no more than PLN 2,000 (EUR 420) per ton.
The differing arrangements are all part of the “full flexibility” Morawiecki and other government officials have promised with the goal that coal will be available to residents “at a decent price.”
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland
A shortage of air traffic controllers resulted in the closure of the Gdańsk airport for four hours this morning, according to the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA).
Rusłana Krzemińska, a spokesman for PANSA, claimed there was an insufficient number of critical staff to continue normal business operations.
Eight air traffic approach controllers, employees who provide navigation assistance to incoming flights at the airport, were reportedly on sick leave at the time. Air traffic control includes approach controllers, airport controllers, and area and tower controllers.
Pilots of three incoming flights had to adapt to the unusual situation, with those scheduled to land between 2:00 and 6:00 this morning forced to delay or expedite their landing plans.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Local officials in Gdańsk are once again warning residents that burning trash in stoves is unsafe and illegal and can result in heavy fines.
From the beginning of September to mid-October, the Gdańsk City Guard conducted 28 inspections of waste incineration and issued tickets and fines to 15 violators. City guards found elements of old furniture, pieces of office boards, fragments of painted window frames, plastic packaging, and inserts for candles among the forbidden incineration materials.
The penalty for burning rubbish illegally at home can be up to PLN 500 per citation.
According to Marta Drzewiecka of the Gdańsk city guard, “residents regularly burn wood-based materials, including cut furniture, colorful magazines, foil, plastic packaging and household rubbish, which is forbidden.”
Officials warn that burning waste in home furnaces or boiler rooms not only pollutes the general environment but is extremely harmful to the health of those in the immediate vicinity, such as family members and neighbors.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will start off cool and mostly cloudy, with a chance for rain showers in the morning and a gentle breeze coming in from the west and then south. Temperatures will peak around a high of 15°C, or 59°F, dropping to a low of only 8°C or 47°F overnight. Slightly warmer temps are expected for tomorrow, with a chance for rain showers in the early part of the week.
Elizabeth Peck/pb
