Visits of foreign leaders, MPs charged, new aid package from Germany: highlights for November 21
Foreign leaders have arrived in Ukraine on official visits. MPs Andriy Odarchenko and Serhiy Labaziuk were charged with offering bribes. Germany announces a new €1.3 billion aid package for Ukraine. Here are the highlights of November 21.
Visits of foreign leaders
On November 21, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius arrived in Kyiv for an unannounced visit. The German Defense Ministry said that the purpose of the visit was to reaffirm Berlin's support for Ukraine. The main topics of Pistorius' visit will be training of Ukrainian soldiers and military assistance to Kyiv.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu also arrived in Ukraine to celebrate the Day of Dignity and Freedom. Together with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska, she honored the memory of activists who died during the Revolution of Dignity. They placed lamps at the cross on the Heavenly Hundred Heroes Alley in Kyiv.
In addition, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the Maidan protests, President of the European Council Charles Michel visited Ukraine. "Good to be back in Kyiv – among friends," Michel wrote on X.
MPs charged
The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau have pressed charges against Servant of the People MP Andriy Odarchenko, who tried to bribe the head of the State Restoration Agency, Mustafa-Masi Nayyem. According to the investigation, the suspect offered a bribe in cryptocurrency.
A current MP, who owns a construction and agricultural business, was also charged. He offered money to top officials in the recovery sector for contracts to rebuild infrastructure facilities worth UAH 1 billion ($27.7 million). Sources in law enforcement confirmed that the charges were filed against MP Serhiy Labaziuk of the For Future party.
New military aid package from Germany
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced a new military aid package worth 1.3 billion euros ($1.4 billion) to Ukraine. The package includes four IRIS-T air defense systems, 20,000 155-mm caliber rounds, anti-tank mines, and other weapons.
The German defense minister also said that "there is no new information on Taurus". However, he did say that Germany plans to supply Ukraine with 140,000 155-mm rounds next year.
Russian attacks
Overnight, Russian troops launched four missile attacks on Donetsk Oblast. The occupiers hit a hospital and a mine. The Donetsk regional prosecutor's office noted that as a result of the shelling of the hospital, eight citizens received contusions and shrapnel wounds. One person was also confirmed dead.
Another worker, 63-year-old Viktor Kuzhel, was fatally injured in the shelling of a mine of the state-owned enterprise Selydivuhillya.
Also today, Russians shelled the village of Kozacha Lopan in Kharkiv Oblast. As a result of the strike, a residential building with a 29-year-old man inside caught fire. He was later confirmed dead.
In addition, the occupiers attacked Kherson Oblast once again. According to regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin, from 11:20 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the enemy dropped 25 guided bombs on settlements in the Beryslav and Kakhovka districts. Two men were injured in the attacks.
Two people were also injured in the shelling of Kherson's suburbs today: a 62-year-old man and a woman born in 1962.
In addition, Russians fired missiles at Odesa Oblast. They hit an open surface, an administrative building and port infrastructure in Odesa and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi district.
In the evening, the occupiers fired a missile at Zaporizhzhya, the type of which is currently being identified. It hit an open area. As of 9:46 p.m., there was no information on victims. The blast wave damaged several private houses.
Other news
- The head of Rivne Oblast State Administration was appointed head of the State Property Fund.
- MPs supported the increase in NABU staff, which is one of the requirements for EU accession.
- The Rada supported a bill to strengthen the independence of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.
- Slovak carriers also started blocking the border: 300 trucks are stuck on their way to Ukraine.
- The State Bureau of Investigation announced that the Maidan investigation is in the home stretch.
- The Pentagon chief met with the military who returned from the Avdiyivka axis and praised their bravery.