Zelenskyy has signed law on military cemeteries
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a law establishing the procedures for the creation and operation of military cemeteries and the rules for the honorable burial of defenders.
According to Censor.NET, this information is available on the Verkhovna Rada's official website.
The document systematically regulates matters related to commemorating those who died defending the country, and establishes clear rules for the use of land for such facilities.
"The law establishes uniform guidelines for the establishment of military cemeteries and ensures that Ukraine's defenders are properly honored," the explanatory note to the document states.
New rules for military cemeteries and memorials
The law provides for the establishment of a National Military Memorial Cemetery and a network of regional memorial cemeteries. State-owned land may be used for this purpose.
At the same time, clear restrictions have been established. It is prohibited to locate such facilities within nature reserve areas of national significance, on water reserve lands, or within residential development zones.
The document also clarifies key terms. In particular, it legally defines the concepts of a military cemetery, a memorial cemetery, a historic military burial site, and a military burial section.
It is specifically noted that regional memorial cemeteries will become part of a unified national system.
Who is eligible for a state funeral and how is it funded?
The law specifies the list of individuals who may be buried with military honors. This list includes members of the security and defense forces, police officers, combat veterans, individuals with war-related disabilities, as well as recipients of state awards and participants in international peacekeeping missions.
At the same time, certain restrictions apply. An honorary burial is not granted to individuals with an unexpunged criminal record for intentional crimes.
The government will determine the procedures for organizing burials and the rules for commemorating the deceased. In complex or specific cases, decisions will be made by a special commission.
Burials will be funded from the state budget and, in certain cases, from local budgets. All burials and reburials will be subject to mandatory registration, including in electronic form.
The document also stipulates that military memorial cemeteries remain state property and may not be leased or privatized.
- On April 30, the Verkhovna Rada passed a law regarding the burial sites of those who died defending Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
