Ukrainian power engineers are gradually restoring houses and facilities that were de-energized due to bad weather.
When Slovak road carriers want to block the border guard at the Vyshne Nemecke – Uzhgorod checkpoint.
Read about these and other main events on November 28 in Ukraine and the world in the digest on ICTV Facts.
Currently watching
Restoring light in blackout cities and villages
Zelensky signed the state budget 2024
Poisoning of Budanov's wife
Zelensky announced “good long-range things”
Synchronization of energy systems of Ukraine and the EU
Want to rest? Come to Facti.GAMES!
Slovak blockade on the border
The Polish blockade violates the rights of Ukrainians
The European Parliament supported negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU
Restoring light in blackout cities and villages
Ukrainian power engineers were able to connect almost half of the consumers de-energized due to bad weather, the Ministry of Energy said. As of 19:00 Tuesday, 357 settlements remain without power due to bad weather, which is almost half as much as in the morning.
According to the Ministry of Energy, 265 teams and 282 units of equipment are working to restore power supply. The most difficult situation due to the consequences of bad weather remains in the Odessa and Nikolaev regions, where 260 and 46 settlements remain without power, respectively.
In addition, power outages are also observed in the Kherson, Donetsk, Sumy, and Kirovograd regions.
Zelensky signed the state budget 2024
President Vladimir Zelensky signed the law on the state budget of Ukraine for 2024.
According to the document, budget revenues will amount to 1 trillion 768 billion hryvnia. Expenses – 3 trillion 355 billion hryvnia, deficit – 1 trillion 571.5 billion hryvnia, which will be covered mainly by international assistance.
Read more about the features of the state budget for next year on ICTV Facts.
Poisoning of Budanov's wife
The wife of the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) Kirill Budanov, Marianna, was poisoned.
This was confirmed by intelligence representative Andrei Yusov in a commentary to Radio Liberty.
“The wife of the head of Ukrainian military intelligence was indeed poisoned with heavy metals and is now undergoing treatment, which is already being completed,” the report says.
The GUR promised to release more information later.
Earlier, a number of Ukrainian media outlets wrote about this, citing sources.
Zelensky announced “good long-range things”
President Vladimir Zelensky held a meeting with the head of the Ministry for Strategic Industries, Alexander Kamyshin, and announced that the ministry was preparing “good long-range things” for the occupiers.
— Today I held a separate meeting with the Minister for Strategic Industries of Ukraine. You can call him optimistic. We are preparing, in particular, good long-range things so that the occupiers can feel Ukrainian strength,” Zelensky said.
Synchronization of energy systems of Ukraine and the EU
The Ukrainian and European energy systems have successfully completed the synchronization project, the network of operators of continental Europe ENTSO-E announced.
“Continental European transmission system operators are pleased to announce that Ukrenergo, the Ukrainian system operator, has achieved compliance with the key technical requirements necessary to ensure permanent interconnection between the power systems of continental Europe and Ukraine,” the statement said.
ENTSO-E called this a new level of cooperation.
“This development not only strengthens regional energy security, but also contributes to a more integrated and more efficient energy market,” said ENTSO-E President Zbinek Baldiš.
It is noted that emergency synchronization with the European energy system took place on March 16, 2022, and since then Ukrenergo has made efforts under wartime conditions to achieve full compliance with operational rules.
Slovak blockade on the border
The Union of Slovak Road Carriers (UNAS) stated that it plans to block the border checkpoint with Ukraine Vyshne Nemecke – Uzhgorod if there is no progress in the issue with Ukrainian carriers.
UNAS said that due to the blockade on the Polish-Ukrainian border, carriers from Ukraine began to enter Poland through Slovakia, which creates queues at the border between the two EU states. In particular, UNAS accuses Ukrainian carriers of allegedly not adhering to the rules and regulations, like carriers from other EU countries.
The trade union’s demand is to convene a meeting to discuss further steps, otherwise they plan to block the Vyshne Nemetske – Uzhgorod border crossing point from December 1.
However, not everyone supported UNAS. The Association of Road Carriers of Slovakia, ČESMAD Slovakia, stated that it would not support the blockade. This is due to the fact that they “do not understand the logic” of blocking one border crossing point towards Ukraine, while others – towards the European Union – remain open. According to the association, action is needed at the level of the entire EU.
The Polish blockade violates the rights of Ukrainians
The Ombudsman of Ukraine Dmitry Lubinets sent a letter to his colleague in Poland Marcin Wjoncek, in which he asked to ensure respect for the rights and freedoms of Ukrainian carriers who are now in queues on the Ukrainian-Polish border.
Lubinets said that he is approached by Ukrainian carriers who, due to the blockade on the border with Poland, do not have access to food and water and are generally in conditions unsuitable for life.
Many of them also experienced deteriorating health conditions due to lack of access to medical care. Also, writes Lubinets, it is known about the death of two drivers standing in line.
The Ombudsman points out that the Polish blockade also violates the labor rights of Ukrainian carriers, as provided for in Art. 43 of the Constitution of Ukraine.
In addition to his colleague from Poland, Dmitry Lubinets addressed the Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal.
The European Parliament supported negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU
The Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament officially supported the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union.
As the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola said at a joint press conference with the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk, the Conference of Presidents – a body that unites the leadership of the European Parliament and its political groups – publicly advocated that the European Council approve the start of negotiations in December.
– Ukraine… is making incredible efforts (on the path of reform – Ed .) to eliminate any objections to opening membership negotiations in incredibly difficult circumstances. And, as the European Parliament, we hope and count on a positive decision by the European Council in December,” Metsola emphasized.
