Istanbul Convention in Ukraine, Danube Grain Route, eviction of civilians in Kherson Oblast: today's highlights

Eviction of civilians in Kherson Oblast

Occupants continue the forced eviction of civilians in Kherson Oblast, in particular in Kakhovka and Novochornomoria. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the morning of November 1.

In Kakhovka, people living along the banks of the Dnipro are evicted. The occupants are equipping fortifications and minefields around their homes.

In Novochornomoria, Skadovsk Raion, Russian troops are also evicting civilians from their homes: they are putting psychological and physical pressure on people. The occupants have to move into the forcibly vacated houses.

Shelling of educational institutions in Mykolaiv

Russian occupants fired four missiles at Mykolaiv around midnight on November 1. This was reported by Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych and Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko.

The occupants launched four S-300 missiles at the city. One missile hit and damaged the building of the “First Ukrainian Arkas Gymnasium”. The other three missiles hit the territory of Mykolaiv Polytechnic Vocational College.

One woman was killed and 5 were wounded. Another 12 people, who were trapped in their apartments as a result of the explosion, received help.

Istanbul Convention entered into force

On November 1, the Council of Europe Convention on preventing violence against women and domestic violence, known as the Istanbul Convention, entered into force in Ukraine. This was reported by the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets.

The document provides for several measures to protect and support victims of domestic violence, as well as to counteract this phenomenon.

In particular, according to the Istanbul Convention, victims are provided with protection and support through the following measures:

·      application of protective orders;

·      informing victims about their rights and opportunities for assistance and protection

·      ensuring the operation of specialized support services;

·      no silencing of the problem of domestic violence;

·      protection and support of children witnessing domestic violence.

Danube Grain Route

Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company launches the Danube Grain Route project for the transportation of agricultural products to the Romanian port of Constanța. This was announced by the General Director of the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company Dmytro Moskalenko.

According to him, in the summer, the Ukrainian Danube Shipping Company foresaw Russia's withdrawal from the "grain deal" and began working on the Danube Grain Route project. The entire logistics chain will be implemented and controlled by a Ukrainian shipping company.

According to Moskalenko, the project has already been supported by the Ministry of Infrastructure. It is also planned to attract international investors.

40% of Ukraine's energy infrastructure was damaged by Russia

Russia has already seriously damaged about 40% of the entire energy infrastructure of Ukraine, including thermal power plants, combined heat and power plants, and hydroelectric power plants. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson about this, the press service of the President's Office reports.

The interlocutors discussed further steps to ensure Ukraine's energy security. Zelenskyy spoke in detail about Ukraine's need for the restoration of energy infrastructure and called on the European Commission to play a coordinating role in attracting assistance from EU member states.

Zelenskyy drew attention to the expediency of creating a platform to support the Ukrainian economy, in particular the energy sector, such as the Contact Group in the Ramstein format. Zelenskyy also asked to limit the supply of Russian liquefied gas to the EU countries within the next sanctions package, which should be approved as soon as possible.