Prepared by Anna Dovha, Sofia Oliynyk, Maryana Zaviyska
Photo: Zelenskyi Official telegram channel
Foreign policy.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the annual session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. In his address he reminded of the Ukrainian Peace Formula, presented earlier at G20, which covers from nuclear safety to the restoration of our territorial integrity, from the Tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine to countering ecocide. He called the countries to join in the implementation of the points of peace formula. of In addition, Zelenskyy called the states to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, as the parliaments of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and the Czech Republic have done. Also he called for the ninth sanctions package of the European Union as well as new world sanctions against Russia immediately after limiting export prices for Russian energy resources. Following the meeting, NATO PA adopted the resolution that calls on all allies to clearly identify the Russian Federation and its current regime as a terrorist organisation.
Members of the European Parliament addressed the letter to the European Council to designate the Wagner Group as a terrorist organisation. The MEPs believe the Wagner Group should be included to the list of persons and groups in the frame Common Position of Common Security and Foreign Policy (CSFP) on the application of special measures to combat terrorism.
Economic security.
Ukraine has received EUR 2.5 billion of macro-financial assistance from the European Union. The second tranche of the total funding under this program is EUR 5 billion.The total amount of Macro-Financial Assistance provided to Ukraine by the EU, from February 24 and up to today, reaches EUR 6.7 billion, says Minister of Finance of Ukraine Sergii Marchenko.
Ukraine received USD 60 million in financing from the World Bank. Of these funds, USD 50 million was provided on preferential terms from the International Development Association, the rest USD 10 million – as guarantees from Latvia, informs the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. The funds will be used to reimburse state budget expenditures made to pay salaries to employees of state bodies and budgetary institutions of the educational sphere, both at the national and regional level.
Ukraine will borrow up to EUR 100 million from the French Development Agency. The loan will be provided on the condition of interest rate of 1.04% per annum and the final repayment of the loan will be in 15 years from the date of the loan agreement (taking into account the grace period for deferred repayment of the loan for 5.5 years from the date of the loan agreement).
Canadians can now purchase Ukraine Sovereignty Bonds in denominations of $100. These bonds allow Canadians to provide direct support to Ukraine, so the Ukrainian government can keep providing essential services this winter, such as pensions, the purchasing of fuel, and restoring energy infrastructure.
Cities under attack.
As of Tuesday, November 22, 1886 settlements were liberated from the Russian occupiers, reports Office of the President. Nevertheless, some 2000 settlements remain under the occupation and require liberation.
Meanwhile, Russia hit the humanitarian aid distribution center in Orihiv, Zaporizhzhia region. Due to the shelling a volunteer was killed and two women wounded. Russian shelling hit a maternity house in Vilnyansk of Zaporizhzhia region, a newborn child died due to the injuries. Doctor and a patient were rescued from the debris. In the Kherson region, Russian forces regularly shell civilian infrastructure of the liberated Kherson. On Monday seven people were wounded and three people died due to the shelling. In the Donetsk region, Russians are shelling Toretsk and Chasiv Yar. In ChasivYar, 2 people were injured, 4 houses were damaged. In Toretsk, a high-rise building was directly hit, and warehouses were also damaged.
Human rights.
Ukraine is launching special ‘Points of Invincibility’ across the country. Currently 4000 of such points have been set up around Ukraine to provide electricity, heat, water, internet, mobile phone connections, and a pharmacy, free of charge and around the clock. People can access the points at all regional and district administrations, as well as at schools, buildings of the State Emergency Service, etc.
According to the Zaporizhia Oblast Administration, as of November 21, 2022, since the beginning of the full-scale war, 559 residents of oblast have been held hostage by Russian forces in the Zaporizhia region. 340 of them have been released, however 219 people are still being held hostage. Currently, 13 minors are known to have been taken hostage, of which 7 have been returned. In addition 3 representatives of local authorities remain in captivity. 41 entrepreneurs fell into the hands of the occupation forces, while 27 were released.
Ukraine returned the bodies of 33 fallen soldiers, reports the Ministry of Integration. Overall, Ukrainian authorities have returned 696 bodies of the fallen soldiers since the beginning of the war.
War crimes prosecution.
Spanish police will be deployed in Ukraine over the coming weeks to help investigate alleged war crimes according to Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. An advance delegation of Spanish police officials has already arrived in Kyiv to meet with representatives of the Ukrainian public prosecutor’s office, the Spanish Interior Ministry said. Ukrainian and Spanish counterparts are set to work in the collection of evidence that could be incorporated into cases probing alleged violations of international law following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, Reuters reports.
Health security.
WHO verified 703 attacks on health infrastructure since the war began 9 months ago, which is a violation of international humanitarian law and the rules of war. ‘Continued attacks on health and energy infrastructure mean hundreds of hospitals and health-care facilities are no longer fully operational – lacking fuel, water and electricity to meet basic needs.Maternity wards need incubators; blood banks need refrigerators; intensive care beds need ventilators; and all require energy’. According to the agency assessment, 2–3 million more people might have to leave their homes in search of warmth and safety, as they will face such health challenges, including respiratory infections such as COVID-19, pneumonia and influenza, and the serious risk of diphtheria and measles in under-vaccinated populations.
Energy security.
Ukrenergo CEO Volodymyr Kudrytskyi informed that there are literally no intact thermal and hydroelectric power plants left in Ukraine due to Russian missile attacks. Some of the substations were hit by the missiles several times. Overall the scale of damage is colossal.
The increased need to ensure greater energy security made evident by the crisis is likely to lead to a quicker energy transition, not a slowdown, says results of the recent survey of Ashurst. A total of 96% of respondents confirmed their organization had suffered some degree of impact, with supply chain issues and energy or commodity price volatility being the main problems they faced. More than 75% of 1999 senior executives surveyed across Group of 20 (G20) countries expected the Ukraine conflict would speed up energy transition in their country, while 12% predicted it would slow transition.
Digital security.
The Ministry of Digital Transformation and the Federal Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Austria signed a memorandum in the field of digitalization. The counterparts discussed cooperation between the countries in the field of digital transformation and sharing experience in the areas of high-speed Internet access, e-government and digital startups. Austria has expressed its readiness to provide assistance in the near future to support our servers and digital infrastructure, including a batch of generators, which is particularly important for the liberated territories.
Culture.
In Ukraine, the occupiers completely destroyed or partially damaged about 800 cultural objects, says the Minister of Culture.
Upcoming events.
- War and Diplomacy During Winter: Updates from Ukraine – November 23, 4 pm EET/ Kyiv time. Questions to be discussed:Russia is back on board with the grain deal. What are the implications?What are the security and diplomatic threats the Russian demands to continue the transit of ammonia pose?Frontline update: will the winter really bring the fighting to a halt? Registration: https://forms.gle/FXhgdNXXWvz3Ta3g7
Reading corner.
- Don’t Negotiate With Russia | The Atlantic – ‘Those who have systematically underestimated the will of Ukrainians to fight to the death, their skill in making use of what they have, their ability to absorb a bewildering array of modern military technologies, and their operational and tactical cunning are likely making yet more tactical misjudgments.’
- Ukraine’s Kherson Win Shifts Dynamics Across Whole Front With Russia | WSJ – ‘Ukraine’s retaking of Kherson is rippling across battle fronts far afield, as Moscow redeploys troops to regain the initiative and Kyiv seeks to expand its recent advantage over invading Russian forces’.
Statistics.
- General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the total estimated losses of the Russian military as of 10 a.m., November 23, 2022: personnel – around 85 410, tanks ‒ 2897, APV ‒ 5832, artillery systems – 1887, MLRS – 395, anti-aircraft warfare systems – 209, fixed-wing aircraft – 278, helicopters – 261, operational-tactical level UAV – 1537, cruise missiles – 480, boats and light speed boats – 16, soft-skinned vehicles and fuel tankers – 4396, special equipment – 161.
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