President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has initiated a bill to deprive state awards for popularizing or propagandizing the aggressor state or committing other illegal actions against Ukraine. He announced this in an evening video address, UNN reports.
"I signed two documents today. The first is a decree on awarding state decorations to our soldiers. 266 names. Soldiers from various elements of the Ukrainian Defense Forces," Zelensky said.
He emphasized that all of them absolutely deserve to be honored.
"And the second document: I have initiated a draft law that can restore justice in matters of who we honor and who, as a result of their own actions, has lost the right to any respect from Ukrainians. This is a draft law on amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine and other legislative acts of Ukraine regarding the deprivation of state awards for popularizing or propagandizing the aggressor state or committing other illegal actions against Ukraine," Zelensky said.
According to him, this applies to those who have received state awards of Ukraine, including the Hero of Ukraine, the Order of Merit, and others, but chose not to choose Ukraine - they chose the enemy and are now supporting Russia in one way or another or are even on its territory.
"We need a legal mechanism to actually deprive such persons of all state awards of Ukraine and honorary titles. They deserve only one 'title': traitors. And their "reward" will be responsibility to Ukraine and our people for everything they have done against Ukraine, against our state, against our independence. I ask the Verkhovna Rada to consider this draft law in the near future," Zelensky emphasized.
З початку року СБУ відкрила 352 справи щодо державної зради13.04.24, 15:41