Pulse of The Week #12: Ukrainian public opinion on the issues of the day

President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office responds sharply to Putin’s words about peace talks.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin made a statement about negotiations with Ukraine. In response to it, the advisor to the head of the President’s Office, Mykhailo Podoliak, was quite sharp.

During his speech at the G20 summit, Putin said that the Russian Federation allegedly “never refused from peace talks with Ukraine.” “It is not Russia, but Ukraine that has publicly announced that it is withdrawing from the negotiation process. What’s more, the decree of the head of state was signed, which forbids conducting such negotiations with Russia,” said the dictator, speaking via video link.

In addition, he called what is happening in Ukraine a “tragedy” and urged “to look for ways to end it as soon as possible.”

Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, commenting on these statements, noted
that it is Russia that has been occupied with the extermination of the civilian population in Ukraine since 2014. “It does it on purpose, being fully aware of the result of its genocidal actions.

And since February 2022, the extermination of the civilian population has acquired a systematic, large-scale, totally destructive character,” he wrote

According to the official, Russia has nothing to think with and nothing to think about. “Murderers who cold-bloodedly commit a deliberate crime are not preoccupied thinking of how to stop the crime,” Podoliak added.

The only effective solution, the realization of which is still beyond Putin’s mind, is to immediately withdrawn the occupying Russian troops from the sovereign territory of another state.

Next – set at the table to discuss payments, compensations and other legal consequences of the war

Sources: Radio Svoboda, Informator

Verkhovna Rada, proposes to make the rules of mobilisation more stringent

In the Verkhovna Rada, a large draft law on mobilisation, military registration and military service
is being prepared for registration.

People’s deputy Mar’iana Bezuhla (Servant of the People) informed about this.

According to her, in particular, it is planned to narrow the circle of citizens who have the right to be granted a deferral due to the responsibilities of caring for a person with disabilities of the I and II groups or a person who needs constant care, to family members of the first degree of kinship.

This is necessary in order to ensure that there is no possibility of evasion of the draft.

Deputies also plan to change the method of granting a deferral from the draft to citizens who receive a pre-higher or higher education. Thus, the changes provide for the elimination of the possibility of avoiding the draft by obtaining a second, third pre-higher or higher education.

This same week, the commander of the assault battalion of the Third Separate Assault Brigade “It is necessary to mobilize, with all due respect, not elderly men. Well, 50-year-olds are not that elderly yet… But when it comes to fighting, they all look like old men.

“Why? They already have a lot of chronic diseases…

“We need to mobilize 20-year-olds, 18-year-olds. What is the problem? In the fact that they are students? So what?

“Should students not fight? They have to. Do they not fit? They do. Are they not capable, not ready, not born for war?

“No one is born for war. Everything is acquired. The question is in the approach to training,” Horbatenko noted.

Petro “Rollo” Horbatenko said that it is time to mobilise 18-20-year-old students, not 50-year-old men

Sources: Espreso, Focus, UNIAN

Why did the head of the Pentagon personally come to Kyiv?

On November 20th, the head of Pentagon, Lloyd Austin, arrived in Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian leaders.

According to the American official, the purpose of his visit was “to confirm the unwavering support of the United States
of Ukraine.

“We, along with our allies and partners, will continue to support Ukraine’s immediate battlefield and long- term defence needs,” Lloyd Austin said in a statement.

Later, the Pentagon clarified that during the visit Austin would discuss with the authorities of Ukraine the provision for Ukrainian troops in the winter period and protection against Russian threats in the future.

In addition, the future development of Ukrainian troops would be mentioned as well.

Subsequently, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a new package of defence support for Ukraine from the United States. “Of course, we discussed the situation on the battlefield and its prospects – how we can strengthen both
our defence and our advance.

“There is a new defence package for our country from the United States. I am grateful.

“In particular, there will be more artillery – the projectiles that are most needed right now,” Zelensky said.

According to media reports, deliveries of long-range weapons (probably ATACMS missiles are meant) and artillery ammunition will continue. At the same time, the Pentagon admitted that aid to Ukraine is allocated in “doses” because the amount of available funds is dwindling,

Members of the Pentagon delegation noted It was emphasised there that “Israel almost does not pull any aid away from Ukraine. The two armies face two different types of struggle.”

Sources: Radio Svoboda, Espreso, UNIAN

Ukraine is successfully increasing the production of drones for the Armed Forces.

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov stated that conveyor production of UAVs
for the needs of the front is now available in Ukraine.

“We cannot display such things, we are at a different stage of
development.

“The Russians have been investing in the UAV market for many years, we started developing it only a year ago.

Now we have a market economy, many companies are emerging, in this race we will be able not only to catch up, but also outrun the Russian Federation,” the minister emphasised.

According to Fedorov, to increase the production of drones there should be market, Western support, investments and the development of science.

“All this will increase the number of drones. While the market is exploding, we need to amplify the energy by deregulating the market,” said the head of the Ministry of Digital Affairs.

According to him, the Armed Forces were handed over the first 3,000 FPV drones thanks to Operation “Unity” – a joint fund-raising effort of UNITED24, “Return Alive” and monobank.

“Each drone was equipped with Ukrainian-made ammunition and was handed over to 19 military units. These powerful “birds” will help to hit enemy positions and equipment more effectively,” noted Fedorov.

In total, the Defence Forces will receive 10,000 kamikaze drones.

It shows good results at the front. Over the past two months, the military has carried out at least 50 successful missions.

The model is already being prepared for serial production. Fedorov also said that Ukraine has developed a Backfire attack
drone that is resistant to Russian EW.

The developers cooperate with the joint unit “Angry Birds” of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which help to improve UAVs.

Sources: Radio Svoboda, Liga, UNIAN

English may become one of the languages of international communication in Ukraine.

The Verkhovna Rada supported the presidential bill in the first reading, which officially establishes the status
of English as one of the languages of international communication in Ukraine.

Now the draft act must be adopted by the Parliament as a law and signed by the President.

The draft law defines the categories of applicants for positions where candidates are required to speak English.

In particular, these are civil servants of category “A”, “B” and “B”, heads of state administrations, policemen of middle and higher ranks of law enforcement agencies, prosecutors.

In the work of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, English can be used as the language of international communication.

It is also stipulated that everyone who obtains a full general secondary education in an educational institution, studies
there the state language and English as well.

Every student must pass the state final certification of the English language.

In accordance with the draft law, preschool education institutions provide compulsory English language learning for
children of older preschool age.

Preschool education institutions ensure that the English language is obligatory used in the educational process for children of early, junior preschool and middle preschool age.

People’s deputy of Ukraine Yaroslav Zhelezniak reported that “So who was in favor of keeping dubbing – rest easy,” he
noted.

The norm on running English-language films in cinemas in the original language with Ukrainian subtitles was excluded from the draft law by the decision of the specialised committee

Sources: Espreso, Intefax-Ukraine, UNIAN