November 28 is celebrated in Ukraine as the Day of the Financial Monitoring System Employee, and in the world – World Mercy Day and Red Planet Day.
Day of the employee of the financial monitoring system in Ukraine
This professional holiday, established by the decree of the President of Ukraine in 2020, emphasizes the importance of the work of specialists engaged in the fight against financial crimes and ensuring the transparency of economic activity.
The role of financial monitoring workers is extremely important for the stability of the country’s economic system. Their tasks include analyzing financial transactions, identifying suspicious transactions, combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other illegal financial schemes. These specialists also contribute to the improvement of the international image of Ukraine as a state that adheres to the principles of transparency and integrity.
Interesting facts
Financial monitoring is a mandatory component for all banks, financial institutions, as well as enterprises that carry out operations with large sums of money.
Ukraine is part of the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) international group, which develops standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
The financial monitoring system of Ukraine has repeatedly received high marks from international experts for the effectiveness of its work.
One of the biggest challenges for the system is the constant evolution of money laundering schemes, which are becoming more and more complex.
In 2022, Ukrainian financial monitoring specialists actively worked to prevent the illegal use of humanitarian aid during the war.
International day of mercy
The day aims to raise awareness of the importance of mercy, compassion and humanity in the world. It is designed to inspire people to do good deeds, reminding of the power of compassion in uniting society and overcoming differences.
World Compassion Day was first introduced as a platform to discuss pressing issues such as animal rights, environmental responsibility, peaceful coexistence and support for socially vulnerable groups. The day focuses on the role of empathy in solving global problems, including helping the poor, supporting refugees and protecting the environment.
On this day, people and organizations from all over the world hold events, forums, charity events and educational campaigns that encourage expressions of compassion and kindness. The day also serves as a reminder that even the smallest actions—such as helping a neighbor, donating to charity, or smiling at a stranger—can change someone’s life for the better.
Interesting facts
This day was first celebrated in 2012 in India, where the Dalai Lama XIV took part in the event, urging people to be responsible for nature and all living things.
In many countries, the actions of this day are devoted to the problems of homeless animals and the promotion of an ethical attitude towards them.
World Mercy Day upholds the ideas of non-violence promoted by figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.
One of the main themes of the celebration is the protection of the rights of women and children in crisis regions of the world.
The day is often associated with ideas of sustainable development, particularly environmental initiatives such as planting trees and cleaning rivers.
Red Planet Day
This day is a special event for everyone who is fascinated by space and its mysteries. It reminds of an outstanding moment in the history of space research — the launch of the space probe “Mariner-4” on November 28, 1964. This mission was the first to provide humanity with detailed images of the surface of Mars, ushering in a new era in the study of our space neighbor.
The launch of “Mariner-4” was a turning point for science and technology. Until now, knowledge about Mars was based mainly on observations through telescopes, which left many questions unanswered. The probe transmitted 21 images of the surface of the Red Planet, which impressed scientists with their details. It turned out that the surface of Mars is covered with numerous craters, similar to those on the Moon, and the atmosphere of the planet is much thinner than expected.
This day is not only a celebration of the achievements of science, but also a reminder of the importance of space exploration in expanding human understanding of the universe. Thanks to the Mariner 4 mission, the foundation was laid for further expeditions to Mars, such as the missions of the Viking, Spirit and Curiosity probes, as well as modern projects such as Perseverance. All of these missions have enriched our understanding of the Red Planet, revealing its geological history and perhaps even hints of past life.
The idea of colonizing Mars and the possibility of making this planet a new home for humanity is becoming increasingly popular thanks to advances in technology and the efforts of organizations such as NASA and SpaceX.
Interesting facts
Mars has the largest volcano in the Solar System, Olympus Mons, which is about 21 kilometers high.
The atmosphere of Mars consists mainly of carbon dioxide and is so thin that the pressure on the surface is only 0.6% of Earth’s.
Temperatures on Mars can range from -125 °C to 20 °C, making it a fairly harsh environment for life.
Mars’ moons, Phobos and Deimos, may be asteroids captured by the planet’s gravity.
Historical events on this day
1921 year: The All-Ukrainian Central Executive Committee adopted a resolution on the accession of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic to the international convention of the Red Cross. This decision confirmed the participation of the Ukrainian SSR in the world system of humanitarian aid.
1928 year: in the Bereziv district of the Odesa district, the first machine-tractor station (MTS) was created in the Soviet Union, named after Taras Shevchenko. This became an important step in the introduction of agricultural mechanization.
1943 year: In the capital of Iran, Tehran, the first conference of the leaders of the three countries that were part of the anti-Hitler coalition: Joseph Stalin (USSR), Franklin Roosevelt (USA) and Winston Churchill (Great Britain) began. The main topic of the meeting was the coordination of military actions against Germany and its allies.
1974 year: John Lennon, the legendary musician and former member of The Beatles, performed on stage for the last time. It took place in the famous New York concert hall “Madison Square Garden”.
1983 year: for the first time in the history of American space missions, a foreigner was part of the crew of a spacecraft. He became the West German physicist Ulf Merbold, who took part in the flight on the space shuttle “Space Shuttle-9 Columbia-6”.
1989 year: The Council of Ministers of the USSR formed a state commission to deal with issues related to the Crimean Tatar people. This decision was aimed at solving the problems of deportees and their return to Crimea.
1994 year: during the First Russo-Chechen War, Russian federal forces made the first attempt to storm the capital of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, the city of Grozny. This event marked a new phase of the conflict.
2006 year: The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine officially recognized the Holodomor as an act of genocide of the Ukrainian people. This decision established the historical truth about the events of 1932-1933.
2007 year: in Mariupol, CHP employees caught the crocodile Godzilla, who had previously escaped from the mobile zoo. A few days later, he died in the fire station, where he was temporarily placed. Later, a monument to this crocodile was erected in Mariupol.
2008 year: The Cherkasy City Executive Committee decided to dismantle the monument to Vladimir Lenin in the city’s central square. However, in 2012, the court ordered to restore the monument to its original location.
2013 year: the “Right Sector” people’s movement was formed, which became an important participant in the events of the Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine.
November 28, 2004 the “All-Ukrainian Congress of People’s Deputies” took place in the city of Severodonetsk, Luhansk region, which was evaluated by society and the media as an openly separatist event. More than 3,500 delegates representing 17 regions of Ukraine took part in it.
The organizers of the congress positioned it as a response to the actions of the local authorities of several regions of Western Ukraine (in particular, Lviv, Volyn, Ternopil, and Ivano-Frankivsk), as well as the Kyiv City Council and the regional authorities of the Kyiv region. These regions publicly refused to recognize Viktor Yanukovych’s victory in the 2004 presidential elections and proclaimed Viktor Yushchenko as their leader.
One of the most resonant moments of the congress was the speech of the chairman of the Donetsk Regional Council, Boris Kolesnikov. He proposed the radical idea of creating a new “southeastern Ukrainian state entity” in the form of a federal republic, with the capital in Kharkiv, which would symbolically “return the first capital of the independent Ukrainian Republic.” After his words, there was silence in the hall at first, which later exploded with emotions.
Another striking statement was the speech of the head of the Kharkiv regional administration, Yevhen Kushnaryov. In his speech, he emphasized:
“There is no need to test our patience… We will find a worthy answer to any challenge – up to the most radical measures. And I want to remind the hot heads under the orange flags: from Kharkiv to Kyiv – 480 kilometers, and to the border with Russia – 40!”.
However, despite loud statements and public indignation, there were no further practical actions that would implement the ideas voiced at the congress. As a result of the event, a number of criminal cases were initiated, which were later closed due to the lack of a crime.
The Severodonetsk Congress left behind a significant political resonance and became a symbol of the deep political split that manifested itself in Ukraine during the Orange Revolution.
November 28, 2000 Oleksandr Moroz, the leader of the Socialist Party of Ukraine, made a sensational statement by releasing tape recordings that, according to him, were secretly made in the office of the then President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma. These recordings were allegedly made by a state security officer, Major Mykola Melnychenko. On the tapes, there was a voice similar to the voice of the president, who allegedly gave the order to the then Minister of Internal Affairs Yury Kravchenko to “liquidate” the well-known opposition journalist Georgy Gongadze.
This event shook the country and caused considerable international resonance. Yulia Tymoshenko even suggested establishing November 28 as the Day of Officers’ Honor, noting that Melnychenko acted as a true patriot and opened the world’s eyes to what was happening in Ukraine:
“Mykola Melnychenko acted as an honest citizen and officer, showing who is in power and how they manage the country.”
The phenomenon of “Major Melnichenko” became possible thanks to the chaos in the state security system. The recordings have sparked a flurry of accusations and speculation, including speculation that foreign intelligence agencies may have been involved. Despite this, Melnychenko himself turned to the US embassy for help, where he received political asylum.
Oleksandr Moroz’s role in the “cassette scandal” remained ambiguous. His personality and reputation as an intelligent and poetic politician added depth to this story. However, many believed that Moroz did not act independently, but under the influence of Western special services, which allegedly ensured the appearance and distribution of these records.
By 2017, the Socialist Party of Ukraine had undergone significant changes, it was headed by Ilya Kyva, who was even nominated by the party as a presidential candidate in 2019. This turn became another example of unexpected changes in Ukrainian politics.
It is interesting that even after a decade this tendency remained in the state administration system. New “films” periodically appear in the information space, supporting the myth of the eternity of the “Melnichenko under the couch” phenomenon. In this context, the famous words are mentioned:
“Betrayal is a matter of time.” They are attributed to the French diplomat Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, although they are said to have been uttered by other historical figures, including Cardinal Richelieu, Yuriy Lutsenko, and fictional characters such as the character from the film The Nutcracker.
