USAID Transformation Communications Activity in Ukraine FY 2021 Q1 PROGRESS REPORT

The voter turnout was 35.94 percent, with Donbas seeing the lowest turnout of any region. The elections were marked by aggressive disinformation campaigns on social media and TV stations, with narratives that Ukraine was a "Nazi state," "failed state," under "external control," and with a "failed medical reform." The Ukrainian government approved an alternative model of the lockdown, known as the "weekend lockdown," starting from November 14 and covering three weekends. The COVID-19 pandemic continued to spread in Ukraine during the reporting period, with a new record of 16,294 new cases per day set on November 28, 2020. A strict national lockdown was announced from January 8 until January 24, 2021, with 56% of Ukrainians supporting the decision. A mass vaccination program was launched globally, with the United Kingdom becoming the first country to permit the general use of a fully tested COVID-19 vaccine on December 2, 2020. Ukraine approved a COVID-19 vaccination plan on December 22, 2020, aiming to vaccinate at least 50% of the population (20 million people) against COVID-19 during 2021-2022. The Ukrainian government continued to implement land reform efforts, including the drafting and passing of bills in this field. Parliament adopted law #3295 regarding the functioning of the State Agrarian Register and improvement of state support for agricultural producers. This law introduces an innovative tool for better access to state support programs, especially for small farmers, and transparent use of these programs. Critical bills that need to be passed include #2194, which simplifies the procedure of land transfer and obtaining property rights, and #2195, which establishes the detailed procedure of electronic auctions for selling and executing lease agreements state/communal owned lands. The USAID Transformation Communications Activity in Ukraine is focused on promoting inclusive development, with a particular emphasis on addressing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The activity aims to support the Ukrainian government's efforts to combat disinformation and promote a more accurate understanding of the pandemic among the Ukrainian population. The activity also seeks to promote the importance of vaccination and to support the Ukrainian government's efforts to implement a mass vaccination program.