Prepared by Anna Dovha, Sofia Oliynyk, Maryana Zaviyska
Photo: Kostiantyn Liberov, Vlada Liberova
Foreign policy.
On November 23, European Parliament declared Russia to be a state sponsor of terrorism and as a state that ‘uses means of terrorism’. The resolution was adopted by 494 votes in favor, 58 against with 44 abstentions. Parliament calls on the European Union to further isolate Russia internationally, including when it comes to Russia’s membership of international organizations and bodies such as the United Nations Security Council. Soon after the voting, President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola reported about a sophisticated cyberattack of the European Parliament carried out by a pro-Kremlin group. On November 23, Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked the UN to immediately convene a Security Council meeting due to the Russian missile strikes. During the meeting, the President of Ukraine proposed a resolution that would condemn any form of energy terror. He also invited UN experts to visit critical infrastructure facilities in Ukraine in order to assess and document ‘that the infrastructure that supports the lives of tens of millions of people has been hit.’ Volodymyr Zelenskyy also called for the exclusion of Russia from the UN Security Council, because the Russian Federation is a terrorist state, and its right of veto is nonsense.
The self-proclaimed president of Belarus, Oleksandr Lukashenko, said that the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, should stop and go to peace talks with Russia, if he wants to avoid huge casualties and the complete destruction of Ukraine. Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba believes that against the background of Russian shelling of energy infrastructure, the idea of peace negotiations with Russia becomes absurd.
The Russian ambassador was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova to provide an explanation in connection with the disconnection of electricity after Russian attacks on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine.
During the speech at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the Organization for insufficient participation in efforts to force Russia to end the war against Ukraine. ‘I urge you to do everything possible to make the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe a co-creator of the victory over Russian terror, and therefore a co-creator of peace on our continent,’ he said.
Following Romania, Ireland and Moldova recognized the Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine as genocide of the Ukrainian people.
On November 24, the Netherlands recognized Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism due to military actions in Ukraine.
The European Parliament voted not to recognize Russian passports issued in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and Georgia.
Cities under attack.
Soon after the recognition of Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, Russia launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine: Kyiv and the region, Lviv, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi, and other regions of the country were under fire. This was the seventh mass attack on energy facilities of Ukraine which caused emergency shutdowns in all regions of Ukraine and massive power outages in Moldova. As a result of Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian territory on November 23, 55 people were injured and 10 more people were killed.
Energy security.
Due to a massive missile attack on Ukraine on November 23, all power units at the Rivne, Pivdennoukrainska, and Khmelnytska Nuclear Power Plants were automatically shut down. As of the morning of November 24, it was possible to restore power supply to critical infrastructure facilities in Ukraine and partially restore electricity supply in 10 regions. However, at the moment, it is not possible to name any exact dates for the complete restoration of energy supply to all regions of Ukraine.
The Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Hanna Maliar, stated that attacks on the energy industry will not help Russia strengthen its position in this war.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the opening of ‘points of invincibility’ throughout the territory of Ukraine in case of a long-term lack of electricity. These points are shelters where people will be able to get free basic services, including the Internet, communication, water, heat. Currently, more than four thousand such points have already been prepared.
On November 23, the European Parliament launched the ‘Generators of Hope’ campaign, which, with the help of European cities, will provide generators to 10 million Ukrainians left without electricity due to Russian aggression.
Economic security.
The European Parliament approved the allocation of €18 billion for Ukraine to survive the war and begin its reconstruction. After Hungary’s statements to block the financial aid, the country eventually agreed to provide €187 million in financial aid to Ukraine as its contribution to a planned EU support package.
Human rights.
The Russian occupiers set up at least 9 torture chambers in the de-occupied territories of the Kherson region, Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin confirmed. In addition, more than 400 bodies of civilians killed by the occupiers were found on the liberated territory.
POW exchange.
On November 23 and 24, the 2 prisoner exchanges took place. In total, 86 Ukrainian defenders returned back to Ukraine from the Russian captivity.
Culture.
The Russian occupiers during the retreat in the Kherson region illegally took the funds of the Kakhovsky Historical Museum to the temporarily occupied Crimea.
Awards.
Time magazine has released its selection of the Top 100 Photos of 2022. The selection includes 22 photographs depicting the war in Ukraine, in particular, the famous photo of people under the bridge in Irpen, a photo of a pregnant woman in the destroyed maternity ward in Mariupol, and a photo of a bombed granary with burning grain.
Reading corner.
- The Last Cell Tower in Mariupol | WIRED – read an unbelievable story on how a lone mobile base station allowed thousands in the besieged Ukrainian city to stay connected for weeks – until Russian troops arrived.
Statistics.
- General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the total estimated losses of the Russian military as of 10 a.m., November 25, 2022: personnel – around 86 150, tanks ‒ 2899, APV ‒ 5844, artillery systems – 1895, MLRS – 395, anti-aircraft warfare systems – 209, fixed-wing aircraft – 278, helicopters – 261, operational-tactical level UAV – 1553, cruise missiles – 531, boats and light speed boats – 16, soft-skinned vehicles and fuel tankers – 4404, special equipment – 163.
Every action counts, no contribution is too small!
- Support NGO Sylni providing support to victims of sexual violence during the war.
- Support SharetheTruth project becoming one of the volunteers translating it into your local language.
- Subscribe to our daily updates on Twitter and our website.