Zelensky signs law on combatant status to volunteer soldiers

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has signed the law on granting the status of participant in combat operations to members of voluntary units, according to the Ministry for Veterans Affairs, Temporary Occupied Territories and IDPs.

“On December 23, 2019, the President of Ukraine signed the Law of Ukraine ‘On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine on granting the status and social guarantees to certain persons among the participants of the anti-terrorist operation, which regulates the procedure of granting the combatant status to volunteer fighters,” reads the report.

In particular, the law allows members of voluntary units, who participated in the operations to defend Ukraine's independence and sovereignty during the anti-terrorist operation and were not part of any law enforcement agency, to obtain the official combatant status, as well as social guarantees in line with the law of Ukraine on veterans and their families.

The law provides for the granting of the combatant status to those who participated in the ATO for at least 30 calendar days (including the total number of days spent in the ATO).

As reported, on December 4, the Verkhovna Rada adopted Law No.2045-1 "On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine on granting the status and social guarantees to individuals among the participants of the anti-terrorist operation."

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