Reports of infrastructure damage in the Black Sea port of Odesa in Ukraine have emerged after Ukrainian forces shot down six Kalibr cruise missiles during overnight shelling by Russian forces.
Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chancellery, linked Monday night’s attack on Odesa and Mykolaiv, another major city in southern Ukraine, to the issue of Ukrainian grain exports across the Black Sea.
Russia recently withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI), which previously ensured the safe passage of ships carrying grain and agricultural produce departing from Ukrainian ports.
According to a recent USAID press release, the BSGI “allowed the export of over 32 million metric tons of grain and oilseed from Ukrainian ports since its launch in August 2022, helped lower and stabilize global food prices, and provided desperately needed food aid to millions of people around the world experiencing severe food insecurity.”
The grain deal, initially negotiated by Turkey and the United Nations in July 2022, officially expired on Monday at 17:00 EST (midnight local time in Istanbul, Kyiv, and Moscow).
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters the pact had “been terminated” and indicated that Moscow has no intention of renewing it.
Source: Polskie Radio, usaid.gov
The Russian Defense Ministry has removed the commanders of units fighting in Ukraine, raising concerns about a command structure crisis within the Russian army.
Major General Ivan Popov, commander of the 58th Combined Army, and Major General Vladimir Seliverstov, commander of the 106th Airborne Division, have both been dismissed.
Russian media reports also claim that General Ramil Ibatullin, commander of the 90th Armored Division, has been arrested, and General Mikhail Teplinsky, commander of the airborne forces (VDV), is also soon to be arrested or removed.
General Sergei Surovikin, who was connected with the recent Wagner rebellion, has also been missing for nearly three weeks, reportedly “taking a rest” somewhere in the Caucasus.
According to the US think-tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW), these commanders led successful units in key areas of the Ukrainian conflict, making their resignations potentially linked to instances of insubordination. Analysts predict that such a crisis within the chain of command would likely diminish Russia’s capacity to carry out offensive operations.
Source: Polskie Radio, Reuters
Organizers of the annual Polish Film Festival in Gdynia have announced the lineup of 16 films that will be competing for a prestigious Golden Lion award in September.
Director Olga Chajdas’ “Imago,” Jan Kidawa-Błoński’s “The Secret of Little Rose,” and Paweł Maślona’s “Kos,” which tells the story of Polish-American independence hero Tadeusz Kościuszko, are among the films selected for the festival.
Other standout productions include “The Peasants,” a hand-painted animation by the directorial duo of D.K. Welchman (formerly known as Dorota Kobiela) and Hugh Welchman, based on the novel by Nobel Prize-winning Polish author Władysław Reymont.
Started in 1974, the Polish Film Festival is considered one of the oldest national film events in Europe. The 48th edition of the festival will be held in Gdynia from September 18-23.
Source: Polskie Radio, festiwalgdynia.pl
The Stara Orunia Water Reservoir near Park Orunski is currently open for tours, featuring stunning brick vaulted architecture and one of the best bat habitats in Pomerania.
Established in 1869 to supply the residents of Gdańsk with drinking water, the gravity-fed reservoir deep underground later became home to various species of bats, who took advantage of the peace and quiet the tank provides along with the ideal temperatures and humidity underground.
Red bats, greater bats, Natterer’s bats, brown bats, and even a very rare and endangered brown-haired bat have all been spotted in the reservoir.
The majestic interior of the Stara Orunia Water Reservoir reportedly compares favorably with other famous underground sites, including the Underground Cathedral in Łódź and the Lindley Filters in Warsaw.
The reservoir was reopened in May 2018 after extensive reconstruction work, but the facility will only be open to the public until the end of August due to the bats’ hibernation schedule.
The interior of the reservoir can also be seen in this stunning photoessay by Roman Jocher
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will be mostly cloudy, with a good chance of rain showers in the afternoon and a gentle breeze coming in from the west. Temperatures will be cooler than yesterday, with a daytime high of 18°C or 65°F, dropping to a low of 12°C or 54°F overnight. Similar weather is expected tomorrow with a chance for more rain in the morning and afternoon.
Elizabeth Peck/kł
