Defense package from Lithuania, reinstatement of judge Lvov, and a draft law on lobbying: highlights for January 10

Zelenskyy's visit to Lithuania and defense support

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Lithuania and met with high-ranking Lithuanian officials. As part of this visit, Lithuania announced assistance to Ukraine worth €200 million. Ammunition, military equipment, and other equipment will be delivered in January and February.

The presidents of both countries also signed a memorandum that provides for support for joint defense projects, including the development and manufacture of drones, electronic warfare equipment, and mine-clearing equipment.

Zelenskyy is also scheduled to visit Latvia and Estonia.

Consideration of the draft law on mobilization

The meeting of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence to consider the draft law on mobilization has been postponed again, this time to January 11.

At its meeting on January 10, the Servant of the People faction decided to return the government's draft law on mobilization for revision, a source told Hromadske.

At the same time, the head of the Servant of the People faction, David Arakhamia, wrote that all decisions on the consideration of the bills will be made at the Conciliation Board on January 11, to which the military command and the leadership of the Ministry of Defense have been invited.

Support for the draft law on fair lobbying

The Verkhovna Rada has passed a draft law on fair lobbying in the first reading. This is one of the European integration requirements. The corresponding draft law No. 10337 was voted for by 309 MPs.

It establishes the terminology, rights, obligations and methods of lobbying, and creates the Transparency Register, which will be formed by the National Agency for the Prevention of CorruptionNACP.

Judge Lvov was reinstated

Supreme Court judge Bohdan Lvov, who was found to have a Russian passport, has been reinstated. He will also be paid his salary for the time of his forced absence.

The Supreme Court said it would appeal the decision of the Kyiv District Administrative Court to reinstate Lvov.

Sobko is leaving the Territorial Defense Forces

The Chief of Staff - Deputy Commander of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Brigadier General Serhii Sobko, has announced that he will leave the Territorial Defense Forces on January 10.

Sobko did not specify the reason for his resignation. Perhaps he will be transferred to another position. The public relations service of the Territorial Defense Forces told hromadske that they could not comment on the reasons for Sobko's resignation.

New Head of the Accounting Chamber

The Verkhovna Rada has appointed Olha Pishchanska, who previously served as the head of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, as the head of the Accounting Chamber. The decision was voted for by 252 MPs.

Parliamentarian Yaroslav Zhelezniak noted that the decision was made "despite the warnings of international partners." In December, the ambassadors of the Group of Seven countries warned against appointments until the reform of the Accounting Chamber was completed.

MP Iryna Gerashchenko called Pishchanska's appointment a “disgrace” and “nepotism”.

Other important news

• Drones attacked a Russian airfield in Saratov region, where missile carriers take off.
• At the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, the Allies announced new aid packages.
• 29 Ukrainian citizens have not received permission to evacuate from Gaza, Radio Liberty reported.
• Attack on Pokrovsk district: police have already identified 7 dead from the found body fragments.
• The Foreign Ministry advises Ukrainians to refrain from traveling to Ecuador. Riots have broken out there.