Weekly Exclusives
Weekly Exclusives - a newsletter that contains author publications, interviews, exclusive comments, photos and videos.
Photo of the week
FPV drone during the UAV racing tournament of the Federation of Military-Technological Sports of Ukraine, held jointly with the Typhoon unit of the National Guard of Ukraine, Kyiv, October 20, 2024.
Interview
The skies don’t discriminate between ranks or positions, - Ivan Smerechansky, 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade Wing Commander
Victory Commanders is a series of interviews with commanders of various levels and branches of the military. We invite to the Ukrinform studio members of the military, who, with their experience and credibility, professional skill and unwavering belief in victory are already writing their names into the modern history of Ukraine.
This interview is with lieutenant colonel Ivan Smerechansky, call sign Smereka, Wing Commander at the 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade.
Serhiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations
The trip by UN Secretary General António Guterres to Kazan for the BRICS Summit meeting caused fierce criticism from Ukraine and its allies. Spokespersons for the Secretary General explained why the visit was necessary by the "importance" of the event, saying the member countries of this organization represent half the population of the world. Furthermore, they claim that Guterres allegedly explained to Putin his position regarding Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. How legitimate was the trip by the head of the United Nations to the aggressor country and his meeting with the war criminal? Ukrinform requested Serhiy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, for comment.
Lilia Lemoine, Argentinian lawmaker with Milei’s party
Earlier this month, member of Chamber of deputies, the lower house of the National Congress of Argentina, who is part of President Milei’s political force, La Libertad Avanza (LLA), came on an unofficial introductory visit to Ukraine alongside her fellow party member, Argentina’s representative in MERCOSUR, Ivan Dubois to hold a number of meetings with Ukraine’s officials and civic society leaders in a bid to get to know better the country whose cause in the fight against Russian aggression finds so much support in the face of Argentina’s new leader. The tour was organized by the Center for Transatlantic Dialogue and Resilient Ukraine.
A former IT specialist, as well as an artist and prominent cosplayer, Lemoine is relatively new to politics but full of passion to promote Javier Milei’s agenda. Also, as someone whose ancestors were forced to flee Ukraine in the Stalin era, she vehemently supports Ukraine, admitting that modern-day Russia is just as evil as communists and Nazis.
The lawmaker spoke with Ukrinform to explain what issues have been haunting the country for decades, what kind of experience she would like to gain from Ukrainian authorities, how Russian propaganda and disinformation distort people’s worldview in her country, and how she sees Ukraine’s struggle for freedom and independence.
Franky van Hintum and Coen van Oosten, Dutch volunteers
Dutch volunteers Franky van Hintum and Coen van Oosten provide free meals to people in Ukraine, even under fire. Franky’s wife is Ukrainian, and they’ve been married for 24 years, so he deeply understands the suffering and pain of Ukrainians. After the full-scale invasion, these two friends from the Netherlands, who own a mobile fast food business, decided to help Ukrainians fleeing to the border to escape Russian attacks. Without hesitation, they got into their food truck and drove to Poland. At first, they prepared and distributed food for free at the Ukrainian-Polish border. Later, they began feeding people near the front lines with fries, sausages, and cheese soufflé. Together, they traveled to many Ukrainian cities: Izium, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Pokrovsk, Sviatohirsk, and Kramatorsk.
In Kramatorsk, the volunteers narrowly survived a horrifying tragedy on June 27, 2023, when Russian forces launched two rocket attacks on the city, hitting a pizzeria where Franky and Coen were at the time. Thirteen people were killed, and 64 were wounded. The day after the tragedy, June 28, has become their second "birthday," and the experience further motivated them to support Ukraine. The Dutch volunteers increased their efforts to assist Ukrainian soldiers, help civilians evacuate, and establish a temporary shelter in Dnipro for civilians evacuated from conflict zones. They also organize international trips for Ukrainian children and work to counter Russian propaganda and fakes.
Publication
The first military units from North Korea are set to be deployed for combat in the Russo-Ukrainian war as early as October 27-28.
Ukraine is set to receive $50 billion in G7/EU loan by year’s end
Ukraine Latest. Weekly Digest for October 21-24, 2024
Fact Checks
Russian propaganda spreading fakes to English-speaking audience about repressions against military and civilians in Ukraine
Recently, the Kremlin's propaganda machine has increasingly resorted to creating video fakes and attributing them to international organizations and independent think tanks. Primarily, this is done to mislead the audience and to make the fake itself appear more credible.
For example, recently, pro-war Telegram channels and pro-Russian media outlets, including English-language ones, posted a video allegedly created by an American think tank, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The video states that, according to an ISW study, 70% of Ukrainian prisoners of war refuse to have their names included in exchange lists. This is allegedly due to the fact that one in three Ukrainian Armed Forces service members are “prosecuted” or “subjected” to criminal charges of treason for surrendering after returning from captivity. Additionally, the video references an alleged quote from General David Petraeus, former director of the US CIA (2011-2012), who spoke about the issue of Ukrainians' reluctance to return from captivity due to concerns about imprisonment or lynching.
This is a fake. There is no such video on the ISW's official website or other resources. Moreover, the last video was uploaded to the ISW's YouTube channel one month ago. The videos on the channel have recently been produced in a format that differs significantly from that used by propagandists, including a notably different ending. It contains the inscription “DONATE TODAY” rather than the logos of social networks, as in the version of fake makers.
Russian fake about mobilization of men aged 19-21 and promised payments of UAH 400K
Propagandists created fake news story about bill in Verkhovna Rada, attributing it to Ukrainska Pravda
Russian foreign-language media outlets have been spreading reports to foreign audiences that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is supposedly going to pass a bill that would provide a payment of 400,000 hryvnias to men between the ages of 19 and 21 who sign a contract with the Armed Forces. This would allegedly double the payment for signing a contract from 200,000 UAH.
To support the narrative, pro-war Telegram channels began circulating a video with the logo of the Ukrayinska Pravda online publication about this "bill". In addition to information about the increase in contract payments, the video allegedly quotes Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk. In it, he draws a parallel between young contract soldiers and the Cossacks, saying that by creating additional motivation for young men, Ukraine will "get an active and mobile contingent". After all, these reports claims, men in this age group are "the backbone of the Cossack strength".
Church fakes from Russian propaganda: Selling ‘prayers against mobilization’ and cursing critics of Zelensky's Victory Plan
Pro-Kremlin media outlets and pro-war Telegram channels have recently spread videos and photos allegedly taken in the Holy Trinity Church of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, located in the Troieshchyna district of Kyiv. In the video, an unidentified person holds a piece of paper with an alleged "prayer against mobilization" on it. The video states that such a "prayer" costs UAH 10.
This is a fake. Image editors were used for creating the fake card. The depicted ornament can be found on Russian stock Internet resources. It is called the “Russian ornament”. The propagandists replaced the domes, the symbol of the Russian Orthodox Church, with the cross of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, then printed it on a card and passed it off as a real prayer, which is also allegedly sold for money in Ukraine.
In addition, in the text of the prayer, all the letters “з” are written with the Latin letter "Z, one of the symbols of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Latin “Z” is not even used in the Old Slavonic spelling, which is used in the prayers of the Russian Orthodox Church.
It is not possible to ascertain the precise location where the propagandists' video was filmed, as there is nothing else in the frame except a hand holding a card with a “prayer” and a church altar with candles, which are typical elements found in Orthodox churches worldwide.
Video
In Dnipro, the consequences of the night shelling on October 26 in the middle of the city are being eliminated
News:
War
Ambassador Markarova: Ukraine's goal is to confiscate all frozen Russian sovereign assets
Along with using the proceeds from frozen Russian assets for the benefit of Ukraine through a $50 billion loan from the G7 countries, Ukraine is collaborating with partners to confiscate the full amount of blocked Russian assets, estimated at approximately $300 billion.
Muted response from Ukraine's partners on Victory Plan only encourages Russia to continue aggression – Austrian colonel
The response from the US and Europe to President Volodymyr Zelensky's Victory Plan has been muted, failing to make key commitments, especially on security guarantees and strikes with Western long-range weapons, which only encourages Russia to continue its attacks.
Politics
Austrian political scientist on Ukraine's Victory Plan: West is too afraid of Russia
“The first point of the Victory Plan concerns the invitation to Ukraine to join NATO as soon as possible, and this is where the problems begin. So far, at least seven NATO member states have been skeptical or rejected the invitation. Of course, Germany's position on this issue is particularly important, and it is in line with the country's policy on this issue for many years,” said Austrian political scientist Martin Malek.
The political scientist recalled that at the 2008 NATO summit in Bucharest, then German Chancellor Angela Merkel categorically opposed the invitation to Ukraine and Georgia to join the Alliance because of Russia's negative position, “and she got her way.” This was followed by Russia's invasion of Georgia, to which “the weak West did not react” - and this “once again allowed Putin to feel justified in his imperialist and militaristic policy.”
EU will not take over NATO functions - Kubilius
The events taking place in the world only confirm the importance and weight of strong transatlantic ties. Therefore, in terms of security and defense, the EU will never compete with NATO, but it will be able to bring added value to joint efforts in this area.
Integration of Ukraine's defense industry into EU defense sector aligns with mutual interests – Kubilius
"As the European Commissioner, I will be responsible for the implementation of the so-called European Defense Industrial Program. The regulatory rules for this program are currently under review in the European Parliament and the EU Council. This program is not only about how to further develop the European defense industry and create new tools but also about how to accelerate the integration of the Ukrainian defense industry with the European one. This will be beneficial for both sides, allowing member states to spend the funds allocated for military assistance to Ukraine within Ukraine itself," noted the European politician.
MEP: We must prepare for any military aggression and assess available resources
"Our group, other political groups in the European Parliament, and the European Commission — all of us clearly understand that Europe is facing a significant geopolitical security crisis caused by Russia's aggressive actions and its war of aggression against Ukraine. We must respond. Since the beginning of the war, the European Union has taken significant steps forward, awakening to provide military support to Ukraine. Europe must be ready to protect itself," the European politician emphasized.
In response to Ukrinform's question about whether he sees war as an inevitable threat in the future, Kubilius noted that his primary responsibility, if appointed as Commissioner for Defense and Space, would be to consolidate the efforts of EU member states to avert such a threat.
"Peace is inevitable. This aligns with the political guidelines for the new European Commission, presented over the summer, when Commission President Ursula von der Leyen went through the approval process in the European Parliament. These political directives clearly indicate that defense is one of the highest priorities for the next five years, along with issues of competitiveness," Kubilius said.
Decentralization reform proved its worth when Russia invaded - EU ambassador
“It was with Russia’s full-scale invasion when decentralization has very much proven its value and worth as the communities were able to self-organize and stand resilient in the face of the onslaught,” the ambassador believes.
“Whether in peacetime, or in a time of war, the decentralized bodies are extremely important and we will keep supporting decentralization, both politically – as you will see in our assessments – and financially, through our EU Lead project” said Mathernová.
From the EU perspective, decentralization “has been one of the most transformational reforms the country has undertaken”.
Along with telethon, Ukraine has “vibrant” media landscape - Mathernová
In the upcoming report, there are some critical comments on the media landscape. But I live here and I don't think there is a lack of media freedom,” said the ambassador.
“Indeed, there’s a telethon, which might not have that much viewership and rating, and anyone can legitimately discuss whether it still serves the purpose as it did at the outset of the war, but outside of it, the media discourse and the media landscape is very vibrant,” Mathernová emphasized.
“If somebody tells me there's no freedom of speech or freedom of media in Ukraine, that would not be a serious accusation,” the diplomat said.
Draft of new Housing Code nears approval – Head of Parliamentary Committee
The existing housing legislation fails to address housing issues and merely creates the illusion of solutions, underscoring the need for a new code.
The Committee Head clarified that the draft law envisions the development of social and municipal housing in Ukraine, as well as the involvement of private operators in affordable housing initiatives — opportunities previously not realized in the country.
"After public consultations, we compiled all proposals and forwarded them to the Ministry of Restoration, which has received input from other ministries and is currently reviewing it. The project is now being prepared for approval at a government meeting," Shuliak added.
She expressed her hopes that parliament will receive the draft soon, adding, "I hope we can vote unanimously on it, as it is essential to overhaul Ukraine’s outdated housing policy."
Conditions of eOselia program unaffordable for IDPs – Head of Parliamentary Committee
The eOselya program for housing purchases has only been utilized by 291 internally displaced families. Among the main barriers are the age of the housing and the significant amount of the down payment required.
State cannot afford pay higher amounts under ‘eVidnovlennia’ program – Shuliak
The maximum payout under the ‘eVidnovlennia’ (eRestoration) program is UAH 500,000 for damaged houses and UAH 350,000 for apartments. Unfortunately, the state currently cannot afford to pay more for damaged housing.
Mortgage rates under ‘eOselia’ program for veterans to be reduced – Shuliak
Currently, only 270 veteran families have purchased homes under the ‘eOselia’ program, and this situation needs to be addressed by establishing a preferential mortgage rate of 3% for them.
Economy
Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy objects decrease GDP growth rate – German economist
“There is a negative impact, but it cannot stop Ukraine’s growth. Last year, we expected the GDP growth rate at 4.6%, but it was 3.6%, i.e. 1 percentage point less. This mainly resulted from attacks on the energy system,” told Deputy Head of the German Economic Team, Berlin Economics Low Carbon Ukraine Project Leader Robert Kirchner.
In his opinion, Russian continuous attacks will not prevent Ukraine’s economic growth. As estimated by the German Economic Team’s experts, who cooperate with Ukrainian colleagues from the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting (Kyiv), Ukraine’s GDP growth rate is expected to be 3.6% at the end of 2024 and 3.4% in 2025.
Poland ready to provide extra energy supplies to Ukraine in winter – diplomat
“The EU treats this possible danger of the harsh winter very seriously. But it’s also a question of what Poland can do extra in this process. So, for instance, we are asking our Ukrainian colleagues in the Ministry of Energy to facilitate the export of energy, of the actual current, from our power plants, especially coal power plants. We are urging our Ukrainian partners in the ministry to ease the so-called auction system of energy supplies. And we are hoping very much that they conclude the relevant negotiations as soon as possible,” told Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of Poland in Ukraine Piotr Lukasiewicz in an interview with Ukrinform.
Ukrzaliznytsia expects to increase freight traffic volumes by 15% in 2024
In 2024, Ukrzaliznytsia JSC will transport 175 million tonnes of goods, which is 15% higher compared to last year’s results.
“We will radically increase our previous freight traffic volumes target. Last year we transported about 151 million tonnes. This year our freight traffic volumes will range from 165 million tonnes to 175 million tonnes. This will be much more than we predicted,” told Ukrzaliznytsia JSC Commercial Department Deputy Director Valerii Tkachov.
Ternopil region’s residents obtain business development grants worth UAH 170M
More than 1,500 new jobs will be created in the Ternopil region thanks to grant assistance for the creation and development of own businesses.
Society
Veterans Foundation hotline receives over 14.5 thousand inquiries
“Overall, during the project's operation, we have received over 37 thousand inquiries. Since the start of this year, there have been over 14.5 thousand inquiries. This includes not only crisis support from psychologists but also legal aid,” said Rohovets.
She noted that veterans are interested in legal issues, questions related to employment, starting a business, and social benefits. Among the most common inquiries are receiving housing or compensation for housing, undergoing medical commissions (MSEC), obtaining combatant status, and accessing veteran benefits, among others.
Rohovets emphasized that many veterans face difficulties in their families during the process of reintegration into civilian life, which can be easier to overcome with the help of psychologists.
Veterans pursue nearly every possible business field – Rohovets
"Analyzing the sectors where our program winners are most active, we see representation across nearly every area — from craft production to medical centers, pig farming to children's amusement parks. The projects are incredibly diverse," said Rogovets.
When veterans return to civilian life, they need to reintegrate, and the UVF supports those who choose entrepreneurship as their path to reentry.
Over 700 jobs created in Ukraine with support of Veterans Foundation
Businesses supported by the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation (UVF) have already created over 700 jobs.
This was reported by Nina Rohovets, Acting Executive Director of the UVF.
"Another important point: many of our veterans’ projects include plans to create new jobs, primarily by hiring other veterans — their comrades-in-arms — thus helping them reintegrate. Notably, the businesses we have supported have already created over 700 jobs. This is truly a great result, and we are proud of it," Rohovets said.
See you next Friday!