The Verkhovna Rada adopted in the second reading and in general a draft law (No. 13378) that grants additional powers to the State Special Transport Service (SSTS) regarding the construction of fortifications, the VR reported on Thursday, writes UNN.
Details
This document, as noted, legally establishes the status of the SSTS as a military formation that is part of Ukraine's security and defense sector. This, as explained, formalizes the role that the SSTS already plays in practice – both in peaceful territory and in the combat zone.
The SSTS performs unique tasks, combining engineering, transport, and defense potential. Its units are responsible for the construction and restoration of bridges, crossings, railway infrastructure, logistics hubs, airfields, and also participate in eliminating the consequences of shelling and conducting defensive works.
The law clarifies the Service's powers, particularly under martial law, establishes the procedure for staffing, service, disciplinary responsibility, and the SSTS's role in the territorial defense system. The document amends the laws of Ukraine "On Transport," "On Mobilization Training and Mobilization," "On the Defense of Ukraine," and "On the Armed Forces of Ukraine."
"The SSTS is not a rear structure, but a combat unit that works under fire, providing critically important infrastructure for the Armed Forces and for the country as a whole. The adoption of the law is a recognition of the service's real contribution to defense resilience and logistics support in wartime conditions," the statement says.
As MP Oleksiy Honcharenko clarified, the law "the Rada granted additional powers to the State Special Transport Service (SSTS) regarding the construction of fortifications." "The fact is that the SSTS is already engaged in the construction of fortifications, but this was not enshrined in law," the MP pointed out.