A missile that killed two people in southeastern Poland was most likely a stray fired by Ukraine’s air defenses and not a Russian strike, according to the latest reports from NATO.
NATO ambassadors on Wednesday held emergency talks in Brussels to respond to Tuesday’s incident in southeastern Poland, which marked the war in Ukraine’s first deadly spillover onto NATO territory.
Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that there is “no indication that this was the result of a deliberate attack, and we have no indication that Russia is preparing offensive military actions against NATO.”
Stoltenberg went on to stress that “Russia bears ultimate responsibility” for the incident “as it continues its illegal war against Ukraine.”
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland
Polish President Andrzej Duda told an emergency meeting of Poland’s National Security Council on Wednesday that there was “no indication” that the explosion in Przewodów “was an intentional attack on Poland.”
His words were echoed by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who described the situation as “an unfortunate event, as a result of which Polish citizens died.”
According to Morawiecki, “Ukrainian forces, countering a massive Russian attack, launched their missiles yesterday to shoot down Russian missiles. There are many indications that one of these missiles fell on Polish territory without any intention on either side.”
Despite claiming a lack of intention to attack Poland, Morawiecki later pointed to the possibility that Russian “shelling of Ukrainian infrastructure near the border” could be “an intentional provocation done in the hope that such a situation could arise.”
In a speech to members of the Sejm Wednesday night, Morawiecki stressed that “although we do not know the exact causes of the tragedy in Przewodów, we do know the primary cause – Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.”
The explosion on Tuesday at a grain facility in Przewodów came as Russia fired dozens of missiles against cities across Ukraine in a new wave of attacks targeting critical energy infrastructure.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, Radio Poland
Poland’s national football team picked up a confidence-boosting 1-0 home win against Chile on Wednesday in a warm-up friendly game ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.
Substitute striker Krzysztof Piątek scored the only goal of the match from close range in the 85th minute at the Legia Warsaw Stadium in the Polish capital.
The Polish team on Monday started a training camp in Warsaw in preparation for the 2022 World Cup, which starts this Sunday. The Polish squad, led by Barcelona star striker Robert Lewandowski, is set to take on Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina in the group stage of the tournament.
Some 60,000 Polish supporters fans are expected to travel to Qatar for the competition, which will run from November 20 until December 18.
Poland’s first World Cup match will be against Mexico in Doha on November 22.
Source: Radio Poland
The annual Gdańsk Christmas Fair, touted as one of the “most beautiful and romantic in Europe,” is set to kick off tomorrow with a traditional opening ceremony and festive parade.
This year’s Jarmark Bożonarodzenowy will feature 155 stalls offering gifts, decorations, and treats in the Gdańsk city center and two new locations –inside the Zbrojownia Sztuki (Grand Armory) and the courtyard of Forum Gdańsk.
According to Łukasz Wysocki, president of the Gdańsk Tourist Organization, the Gdańsk Fair “is considered one of the most romantic Christmas markets on our continent” and is only one of two markets in Poland in competition for the European Best Christmas Market.
Visitors to this year’s fair will be able to sample the national cuisine of some twenty different countries ranging from neighboring Germany, Hungary, and Ukraine, to more exotic locales like Spain, Italy, and Turkey.
The fair officially opens on Friday, November 18 at 16:00 and will remain open until December 23.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, bozonarodzeniowy.pl
Weather
Today will be cold and cloudy with very little chance of rain and a light breeze coming in from the east. Temperatures will peak around a high of only 2°C, or 36°F, dropping to below freezing or -1°C or 30°F overnight. Similar weather is expected for tomorrow, with temperatures continuing to drop and the possibility of snow over the weekend.
Elizabeth Peck
