NATO chief condemns 'outrageous’ attack on Ukrainian dam
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has said that the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine was „an outrageous act” that demonstrated „the brutality of Russia’s war.”
A large Soviet-era dam in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s southern Kherson region was blown up by Russian forces early on Tuesday, threatening to flood vast areas along the Dnieper River.
Meanwhile European Council chief Charles Michel tweeted not long after the news of the event had broken, that „the destruction of civilian infrastructure is a war crime” and that „Russia and its proxies” will be held accountable for their crimes in Ukraine.
According to Ukrainian officials, the hydroelectric power station located on the dam was completely destroyed, potentially marking the biggest technological disaster in decades. All Ukrainian services are on high alert, and the evacuation of people from the areas at risk of flooding is underway. As of now, there have been no reports of casualties.
(PAP / Reuters)
Polish president rallies Bucharest 9 allies, calling on them to jointly bolster NATO’s eastern flank
Poland’s president has called on fellow leaders of what is known as the B9 group to ensure that the NATO alliance prioritises the strengthening of its eastern flank and support for Ukraine.
Andrzej Duda made the appeal at a summit of the NATO allies in Bratislava, Slovakia yesterday. He also called for the member states in attendance to jointly attempt to lay down a clear path for Ukraine’s membership of the NATO alliance.
The group of national leaders later issued a joint statement, declaring that they shall enhance and invest more, individually and collectively, in their ability to prepare for, deter, and defend all domains, whilst in line with NATO’s 360–degree approach.
The Bucharest Nine, launched in 2015, brings together the eastern flank of NATO representatives Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, and Slovakia.
Today is day 469 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(Polskie Radio, IAR
New exhibition opens in Gdańsk at the Museum of the Second World War
A temporary exhibition entitled „Don’t waste your independence. Silver of the National Defence Fund” was opened this week at the Museum of the Second World War in Gdańsk. Silver souvenirs obtained from Poles by the state authorities as part of the collection carried out in the years 1936-1939 have been put on display to the public.
Dr. Marek Szymaniak, deputy director of the museum, has emphasized that these items are very valuable due to their family significance.
Among other curiosities on show, a silver cigarette case with an engraving that says: ‘We offer a gift in Polish Gdańsk for the benefit of the Polish army.’ Incredibly, members of the public donated personal jewellery with special sentimental meaning, such as wedding rings. Many items were brought back into the country in the 1970s. Then began the systematic work on cataloguing them.
The exhibition is going to be running until September 30th.
(Radio Gdańsk)
Polish buyers snapping up record amounts of property in Spain
In 2022 alone, Polish citizens bought almost 3,000 Spanish properties, a record number and over 160% more than in the previous year. That trend points to the shifting economic dynamics of the European Union, as Poland and other eastern members have caught up with, and in some cases overtaken, their western counterparts.
When Poland joined the EU in 2004, it was the bloc’s second poorest in terms of GDP per capita in relation to the cost of living (known as purchasing power standards, or PPS). However, by 2021 it had surpassed Portugal on this measure and is now closing in on Spain.
“Everyone is buying, from pensioners to working families, to people who want to invest and people who want to rent. This circle of customers is very wide,” says Anna Dabrowski, a 43-year-old real estate agent who moved with her family to the area two years ago.
(Notes From Poland)
The weather
Today will be warm and sunny all through the day. The breeze will be barely noticeable and come in from the north east. Expected sunset is due at 9:15pm. Daytime temperatures will see a high of 25°C or 77°F, with expected lows of 12°C or 54°F overnight. Looking ahead, and the warm sunny weather is due to continue through the week and into the weekend.
Thomas Rado
