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Scoop of the day: Ukrainian Defence Ministry denies Russian troops buildup at border

Scoop of the day: Ukrainian Defence Ministry denies Russian troops buildup at border

Russia

The Ukrainian Defence Ministry has commented on reports circulated by the media about Russia's troop build-up near the Ukrainian border. The ministry said that such reports are "an element of information and psychological actions".

"According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry, as of 1 November 2021, no additional transfer of Russian units, weapons and military equipment to the state border with Ukraine has been registered," the Ukrainian Defence Ministry said.

Ukraine's climate goals

Ukraine intends to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65% by 2030 and to achieve climate neutrality after 2060, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a speech at the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow, UK.

He noted that Ukraine currently ranks 4th among 45 signatories to the UNFCCC in terms of emission reduction.

Pending reshuffle

The pro-presidential Servant of the People parliamentary faction has decided to support MP Iryna Vereshchuk's nomination for deputy prime minister and minister for the reintegration of temporarily occupied territories instead of Oleksiy Reznikov who is nominated for defence minister, MP Yuliya Paliychuk has said on Telegram.

If approved, Vereshchuk's seat in parliament will go to Serhiy Kostriychuk, who was No 140 on the party's election list.

A deputy head of the presidential office, Yuliya Svyrydenko, may become the first deputy prime minister and economy minister instead of Oleksiy Lyubchenko, MP Rostyslav Tistyk has said. She was actively involved in drafting the 2022 budget.

Ongoing reshuffle

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Strategic Industries Oleh Uruskyy has tendered his resignation, a representative of the Cabinet of Ministers in parliament, Taras Melnychuk, has announced. He is likely to be replaced by Pavlo Ryabikin, who currently heads the State Customs Service.

MP Andriy Motovylovets was elected the first deputy head of the Servant of the People faction after Oleksandr Korniyenko became first deputy speaker.

Kharkiv mayoral election

Observers of the OPORA civil network have found falsified vote count reports at nine out of 19 polling stations in Kharkiv's Novobovarskyy district. They were doctored in favour of candidate Ihor Terekhov.

By-elections

The former head of the Kherson regional state administration, Serhiy Kozyr, who represents the Servant of the People party, has been elected to parliament from constituency No 184 in Kherson Region, according to the data from the Central Electoral Commission. After 91.48% of vote count reports were processed, he received 65% of votes.

Coronavirus figures

Ukraine has surpassed 50,000 patients hospitalized with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 for the first time since the pandemic began, according to the data from the National Security and Defence Council.

As of October 31, 50,500 out of 73,600 beds allocated to Covid-19 patients were taken, which is about 69%.

The worst situation is in Donetsk Region, where 90.5% of beds are already taken. In Kyiv the figure is around 67%.

Coronavirus policy

The news TV channel 24 has suspended cooperation with presenter Dmytro Hnap due to a difference in views on coronavirus vaccination but does not rule out unfreezing his projects after the end of strict quarantine in Ukraine.

Earlier, he criticized the authorities' policy of what he describes as "forced" vaccination.

Qatar

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow.

The leaders discussed the possibility of stepping up bilateral trade, as well as mechanisms for implementing the agreements reached during Zelenskyy's visit to Qatar in April 2021, particularly in the food and investment sectors.

They also discussed the possibility and conditions of Qatari liquefied gas supplies to Ukraine.

Gas

Russia's Gazprom on 1 November reduced gas transit through Ukraine by a third down to 57m cu.m. per day, the director-general of the Ukrainian GTS Operator, Serhiy Makohon, has said.

"Despite loud statements, the volume of transit from Russia to the EU is constantly decreasing. Since 1 November, transit through Ukraine has once again decreased to 57m cu.m. per day," Makohon said on Facebook.

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