President Volodymyr Zelensky initiated on July 16 a draft law that would allow the stripping of state awards from those who promoted Russia or committed other illegal acts against Ukraine.
The document will amend a number of relevant Ukraine's legislative acts, Zelensky said in his evening address.
"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," Zelensky said.
In 2022, a petition demanding that notorious pro-Russian Ukrainian lawmaker Yurii Boyko be stripped of the Hero of Ukraine title passed the threshold for presidential consideration. However, the proceedings stalled.
“Due to a conflict in the current legislation, it is impossible to deprive some figures of the highest state awards,” Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.
If the draft law backed by Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, and signed by the president, those who support Russia or live there will be deprived of state awards, according to Zelensky.
Elsa Court
