It’s day 145 of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Fierce fighting continues on the border of the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts as Russia’s defense minister calls on Russian troops to “further intensify” their efforts across Ukraine.
Following a series of deadly strikes over the weekend, Ukrainian officials are urging residents to heed air raid sirens. The southern port city of Mykolaiv was bombed again on Sunday, with nearly a dozen missiles causing damage in “multiple districts” of the city.
Russia’s navy has also reportedly shifted a significant number of warships from the port of Sevastopol in occupied Crimea to Novorossiysk further east.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, nytimes.com
Hundreds of protestors gathered outside the Russian embassy in Warsaw on Sunday, demanding that Russia be declared a terrorist state for its invasion of Ukraine.
Organized by the Euromaidan group under the motto #terrorussia, the rally attracted local Ukrainians and Warsaw residents wanting to voice their opposition to Vladimir Putin’s assault on Ukraine.
Protesters used placards and chants to demand that the European Union declare Russia a terrorist state and enact a total embargo on Russian oil and gas exports.
Demonstrators also unveiled a lifesize Russian matryoshka doll filled with plastic replicas of rockets and bombs. “This is the true face of Russia – a terrorist state,” organizers explained.
Similar protests were reported yesterday in over 50 cities around the world.
Warsaw police said that the two-and-a-half-hour event, which ended with a collective rendition of the Ukrainian national anthem, was “peaceful and incident free.”
Source: Radio Poland
Ukrainians are using cutting-edge 3D technology and an accessible app to preserve hundreds of cultural artifacts in a digital archive.
As part of the “Backup Ukraine” initiative, civilians and professionals can scan cultural artifacts using a mobile phone and an app called Polycam. The app’s software then generates a detailed 3D model that will live permanently in a digital archive.
The project, launched in April shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, aims to digitally preserve the country’s cultural heritage—far from the reach of Russian attacks.
The Backup Ukraine team is also exploring the possibility of creating 3D models of destroyed churches and buildings that haven’t been scanned, using digital footage from the past.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture has documented 367 war crimes against the country’s cultural heritage as of May 27, including the destruction of 29 museums, 133 churches, 66 theaters and libraries, and a century-old Jewish cemetery.
Source: Radio Poland
After a promising win last week in North Macedonia, Lechia Gdańsk fans left disappointed last night after their team lost 3-0 to Wisła Płock in their first Ekstraklasa league match of the season.
While the white and greens started out strong on both defense and offense, Wisła slipped through Lechia’s defenses to score the first goal just before halftime.
In the second half, Lechia Gdańsk appeared to completely give up the field, allowing Wisła to rack up additional goals at the 76-minute mark and again in extra time.
The team will now travel to Austria to face off against Rapid Vienna in the second qualifying round of the Europa Conference League.
The match is set for Thursday night at 19:00.
Source: Radio Gdańsk, uefa.com
The water in all bathing areas in Pomerania – including beaches by the sea and local lakes – is currently free of cyanobacteria and suitable for swimming, according to reports by the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate (GIS).
Blooms of cyanobacteria are common in summer and can cause a range of adverse reactions for swimmers, including skin rashes, eye irritation, and gastrointestinal problems if the water is ingested.
Cyanobacteria occur in both salt and freshwater. In calm weather, cyanobacteria may rise from the depths to form a blanket on the surface, which may look like spilled paint, flakes, or jelly. It should not be confused, however, with mats of green macroalgae that occasionally wash ashore and decompose, as they are not harmful or a source of toxins.
Before going swimming, members of the public are advised to check for up-to-date water quality information on the GIS website: HERE.
Source: Radio Gdańsk
Weather
Today will be mostly cloudy and warm, with very little chance of rain and a strong breeze coming in from the west. Temperatures will peak around a high of 23°C, or 73°F, dropping to an overnight low of 17°C or 62°F. Warmer weather and clearer skies are expected throughout the week, with temperatures reaching in the high 20s on Thursday.
Elizabeth Peck
