Friday, November 24

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers firing artillery in the direction of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast on Nov. 1, 2023. (Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Deputy PM: Ukraine will not make special accommodations for Hungarian minority. Ukraine is working individually with all countries whose minorities live on Ukrainian territory as it aims to fulfill EU accession obligations but will not make “special exceptions” for its Hungarian minority, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Olha Stefanishyna said in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda on Nov. 22.

Collaborationist judges in Crimea sentenced in absentia for treason. Eight judges who defected to Russian occupation authorities in Crimea were sentenced to 12-15 years in absentia on high treason charges, Ukraine’s Crimea and Sevastopol Prosecutor’s Office reported on Nov. 23.

Ukraine designates German company Knauf as ‘international sponsor of war.’ Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) added Knauf, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of building materials, to its list of “international sponsors of war,” the agency announced on Nov. 23.

Russian state media: Russian propagandist killed in Ukraine. Boris Maksudov, a correspondent for the Russian state television network Rossiya 24, died after allegedly being injured in a Ukrainian drone strike, prominent Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov said on Nov. 23.

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Ukrainian embassy asks Warsaw to unblock border following 2nd driver’s death. The Ukrainian embassy in Poland appealed to Warsaw to end a haulers’ blockade at the Polish-Ukrainian border after a second trucker died while waiting in the line, Ambassador Vasyl Zvarych said on Nov. 23.

Media: SBU allegedly eliminates high-ranking collaborator in Belgorod. Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) reportedly killed Ukrainian collaborator Oleksandr Slisarenko, previously installed by Russia as a deputy head of occupation authorities in Kharkiv Oblast, New Voice reported on Nov. 23, citing undisclosed sources.

General Staff: Air defense downs 3 drones in overnight Russian attack. Russian forces attacked Ukraine overnight on Nov. 24 using two Kh-59 missiles and three Shahed-136/131 drones, the General Staff said in their morning update. Air defense downed all drones.

Ukraine sanctions over 300 Russian, foreign companies. Ukraine has introduced economic sanctions against more than 300 companies around the world, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced via presidential decree on Nov. 23.

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Ukraine war latest: Putin visits Belarus; Russian parliament passes budget with record military expenditures

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Belarus to participate in a Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit in Minsk, the Kremlin’s press service announced on Nov. 23. The CSTO is a military alliance between Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, and Tajikistan, formed in 2002.

Photo: Contributor/Getty Images

From F-16s to frozen assets - how Dutch far-right’s win could impact Ukraine

Nearly two decades after launching his far-right political party, mixing xenophobia with Euroskepticism, Geert Wilders emerged as the winner of the Dutch parliamentary elections on Nov. 22. “The winds of change are here,” said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, after potentially receiving one more ally.

Photo: Carl Court/Getty Images

Human cost of war

Russian attacks on Kherson injure woman, 2 children. Russian attacks on Kherson on Nov. 23 injured a 39-year-old woman, a 15-year-old boy, and an 11-year-old girl, said Roman Mrochko, the head of the Kherson City Military Administration.

Governor: Russian cluster munitions attack on Kherson Oblast kills 3, injures 5. Russia carried out a cluster munitions strike on the settlement of Chronobaivka in Kherson Oblast on Nov. 23, killing three people and injuring five, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

International response

Latvian parliament extends assistance to Ukrainian refugees for 2024. The Latvian parliament approved the extension of assistance for Ukrainian refugees, such as housing and food, until the end of 2024, the national broadcaster LSM reported on Nov. 23.

EU Commission approves $980 million for Hungary amid Ukraine aid veto threats. The EU Commission approved 900 million euros ($980 million) in advance payments for Hungary from frozen recovery funds, just as Budapest threatens to block Ukraine aid, Reuters reported on Nov. 23.

Finland wants higher 2024 budget to boost Ukraine aid capacities. The upper threshold for defense spending for the period 2024-2028 would be raised by almost 96 million euros ($105 million) to cover costs for the previously announced 19th aid package for Kyiv.

In other news

Naftogaz signs 200-million-euro loan with EBRD. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will lend 200 million euros ($218 million) to Ukraine’s state-owned energy giant Naftogaz to help build up its strategic gas reserves, the EBRD announced on Nov. 23.

Ukraine elected to UNESCO World Heritage Committee for the first time. The country submitted its candidacy in July last year. Ukraine will hold the seat on the Committee for the period 2023-2027.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Dinara Khalilova, Nate Ostiller, Elsa Court, Teah Pelechaty, Martin Fornusek, and Olena Goncharova.

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