Zelenskyy's press event
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held a press marathon with a selected group of 30 media representatives.
- He accused former Main Intelligence Directorate chief Vasyl Burba of pulling Ukraine into a scandal with Turkey as a result of the Wagner special sting. Zelenskyy also said Burba brought some information about the coronavirus formula and vaccine and suggested that they sell it to Russia and China, which, in Zelenskyy's opinion, was masterminded by Petro Poroshenko. Zelenskyy denied that the operation was postponed by his chief of staff Andriy Yermak.
- He said that he has information about plans to stage a coup in Ukraine on 1-2 December with Russians' involvement and that tycoon Rinat Akhmetov is being pulled into this.
- He described Russia's military buildup at the Ukrainian border as an intimidation attempt but did not rule out an escalation.
- He said he visited the Synyohora residence in the Carpathians with a family and his chief of staff Andriy Yermak but denied the latter's birthday party. They used a State Emergencies Service helicopter because the president's aircraft and helicopter are broken.
- He is not going to dismiss Yermak.
- He commended progress in land reform, infrastructure reform and digitization but there is still room for improvement in foreign information policy, deoligarchization and judicial reform.
- He has not decided whether he should run for the second term.
- He appointed Oleksandr Petryshyn and Oksana Hryshchuk as Constitutional Court judges under his quota.
Follow-up to press event
Businessman Rinat Akhmetov responded to Zelenskyy's allegations by fully denying them, his spokesperson Anna Terekhova said.
"The information shared by Volodymyr Zelenskyy about me allegedly being involved in some kind of coup d'état is a complete lie. I resent the spreading of these lies regardless of what motives the president is guided by. My position has been and will remain unambiguous - an independent democratic and integral Ukraine with Crimea and my native Donbas. My actions confirm this," Akhmetov said.
Journalist Yuriy Butusov has told Radio Liberty that he will sue Zelenskyy over slander after the latter said that he worked for oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyy and got offended after he was not given a post at the Defence Ministry. Zelenskyy also accused Butusov of spilling military information.
Members of the State Guard Directorate knocked Pryamyy TV journalist Hanna Dzyoba off her feet after Zelenskyy's press event, thus having injured her, the channel has reported.
USA
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, discussed their shared concerns about ongoing Russian military activities near Ukraine's border and its harsh rhetoric towards Ukraine, the White House said. They agreed that all sides should pursue diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions. Mr. Sullivan underscored the United States’ unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Donbas
A Ukrainian serviceman was killed in Donbas, the Joint Forces Operation HQ has said. Russia-backed militants fired with banned 82-mm mortars near Maryinka and small arms near Novomykhaylivka.
Crime
A group of unidentified young men have attacked the Khvylyovyy bar in central Kyiv. They smashed outdoor furniture, doors and windows and tried to break in shouting "death to faggots" and "white power". They dispersed before police arrived at the scene.