Ukraine approves development of military cemetery network and burial protocols for defenders

The Verkhovna Rada has passed a law on the creation of a network of military memorial cemeteries and the unification of approaches to the burial of defenders (No. 13693), the parliament reported on Thursday, UNN writes.

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267 People's Deputies voted in favor.

The document reportedly introduces uniform standards for the maintenance of soldiers' burial sites and guarantees the right to free burial for full cavaliers of the Order "For Courage."

The adopted law introduces clear legal concepts: "military memorial cemetery," "honorary burial," and "military burial sector." 

According to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, the law creates legal conditions for the development of regional military memorial cemeteries (branches of the NVMC) in every region of Ukraine and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

The law addresses the issue of preserving the burials of fighters for Ukraine's independence in the 20th century. Today, many of them are under threat of destruction, so the possibility of their reburial at the NVMC is provided for. Special attention is paid here to family burials. The law allows for the reburial of not only the fighters themselves but also their family members, ensuring holistic commemoration and adhering to the principles of human dignity.

The circle of persons entitled to reburial from other cemeteries to the NVMC has been expanded. This includes all combat participants and persons with disabilities resulting from the war. 

The issue of reimbursing the costs of burial/reburial of deceased combat participants and persons with disabilities resulting from the war at the expense of local budgets has also been regulated. 

The issue of burial at the NVMC and military memorial cemeteries for defenders who, at the time of death, had an outstanding or unexpunged criminal record for an intentional crime is also being regulated. In such cases, the decision regarding the possibility of their burial will be made by a special commission. This approach, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs noted, is intended to ensure a balance between the principles of justice, humanism, and recognition of the contribution to the defense of the state.

The law also defines existing military cemeteries of the Second World War of 1939-1945 as historical military cemeteries. 

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