Draft law on Donbas reintegration posted on parliament website

The text of the presidential bill on the peculiarities of state policy on securing Ukraine's state sovereignty over temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions has been posted on the website of the Ukrainian parliament.

The explanatory note to the document states the draft law defines the legal regime of certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions as temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, as well as the purpose and means of the state policy on securing Ukraine's state sovereignty over these territories, especially the realization and protection of the rights of Ukrainian citizens residing there.

According to the text of the bill, the temporary occupation of parts of Ukrainian territory has become one of the consequences of Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine.

The document also notes that Ukraine does not recognize the criminal seizure by Russia of part of Ukrainian territory and states that Russia "initiated, organized and supported terrorist activity in Ukraine, carries out armed aggression against Ukraine and temporary occupation of parts of its territory, using regular connections and subdivisions of the armed forces and other military formations of the Russian Federation." 

In the draft law the president proposes to approve that the boundaries of temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions are determined by a motion from the General Staff of the Armed Forces.

In addition, it is planned to legislatively secure that the temporary occupation by Russia of the territories in Donbas is illegitimate and does not create any territorial rights for Russia.

The bill stipulates that in order to ensure national security and defense, deter and repulse Russian armed aggression in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, involved in the established order are the forces and means (personnel and specialists of separate units, military units, weapons, military equipment, special vehicles and vehicles, means of communications and telecommunications, other material and technical means) of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, other military formations (the Ukrainian Security Service, Foreign Intelligence Service, the State Special Communications Service, the National Guard, the State Border Service, the State Guard Department, the State Special Transport Service), the Interior Ministry, the National Police, and the central executive authority that implements state policy in the field of civil protection.

According to the text of the draft law, the Joint Operational Headquarters of the Armed Forces is tasked with ensuring direct management of the military forces.

Upon adoption of this law, the Verkhovna Rada will approve the president's decision to use the Armed Forces and other military formations to deter and repel Russia's armed aggression in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and ensure Ukraine's state sovereignty over temporarily occupied territories.

The final provisions of the bill state that the law will be in effect without damage to the inalienable sovereign right of Ukraine to the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, temporarily occupied by Russia, and measures aimed at the full restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine within internationally recognized borders.

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