Law on medical cannabis and conscription from abroad: highlights for December 21
The Verkhovna Rada has passed a bill to legalize medical cannabis. A German newspaper wrote that Defense Minister Rustem Umerov intends to draft Ukrainian men who are abroad, but the ministry denied this. An internal investigation has been launched against Anatoliy Shchadylo, the head of the Kyiv regional police, who is the subject of hromadske investigation. We have collected the main news.
Verkhovna Rada passed the law on medical cannabis
The Ukrainian parliament has passed the bill on medical cannabis in the second reading.
It regulates the circulation of cannabis only in medical, industrial, and scientific activities. The document simplifies the medical use of cannabis-based medicines and instructs the government to expand the list of medicines.
The Ministry of Health called the adoption of this law a "historic decision" and thanked the lawmakers on behalf of the medical community.
"Medical cannabis is a medicine for millions of people: cancer patients, people with multiple sclerosis, patients receiving palliative care, etc. [...]," the Ministry of Health said.
"Conscription from abroad"
The German newspaper Welt wrote that Defense Minister Rustem Umerov told them in an interview that he allegedly intends to draft Ukrainian men aged 25 to 60 living abroad for military service next year.
The outlet wrote that the men would be asked to report to the recruiting centers of the Armed Forces, and that those who did not comply would face "sanctions."
However, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine denied that it intends to conscript Ukrainian men abroad. The ministry claims that journalists "shifted the emphasis" when quoting Umerov.
In a comment to hromadske, Defense Ministry spokesman Illarion Pavlyuk stressed that the issue of a mechanism for punishment or legal pressure on those outside Ukraine is not currently being considered.
Around the same time, the German tabloid newspaper Bild distorted Umerov's words about the timing of the liberation of Crimea by the Ukrainian military.
Internal investigation into Shchadylo
The head of the National Police, Ivan Vyhivskyi, has ordered an internal investigation into the person involved in the hromadske investigation, the head of the Kyiv police, Anatoliy Shchadylo.
"The head has ordered an internal investigation into this, and all the circumstances regarding lustration will be clarified," said Olena Berezhna, a spokeswoman for the National Police.
The head of the Kyiv regional police, Anatoliy Shchadylo, was subject to lustration and should have been fired, but he continues to work in police positions, violating the law.
Financing risks
Minister of Finance of Ukraine Sergii Marchenko noted that there are risks with the receipt of funding in January and February, so the government plans to activate internal resources to cover expenses.
At the same time, Ukraine has agreed with the G7 countries and the Paris Club to suspend payments on official debt.
Russian attacks
On the evening of December 21, the General Staff reported that the Russians conducted 41 air strikes and fired 28 times from multiple launch rocket systems at Ukrainian troop positions and populated areas.
Overnight, the Russian military attacked Kyiv Oblast with suicide drones. A fire broke out at a civilian enterprise due to falling debris.
In the morning, the Russian occupation army struck the city of Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with heavy artillery, killing two people.
Also, a resident of the village of Tyahynka in Kherson Oblast was killed by Russian shelling.
In Donetsk Oblast, Russian occupation forces attacked Toretsk mines with air bombs. The attack killed three civilians and wounded five others.
Ukrainian film is shortlisted for Oscars
Ukrainian film "20 Days in Mariupol" has been included in two official shortlists of the American Film Academy to be considered for nomination for the 96th Academy Awards - "Documentary Feature Film" and "International Feature Film".
"20 Days in Mariupol" is a documentary by director Mstyslav Chernov, a war correspondent who, in March 2022, together with his colleague Yevgeniy Maloletka, were the last civilian journalists to remain in Mariupol, which was under siege by Russian troops.
Other news
- Ukraine has received the last tranche of the EU's macro-financial assistance worth €18 billion.
- A 17-year-old boy was returned from the temporarily occupied territory.
- Construction of the Podilskyi Bridge: a utility firm official is suspected of causing millions in losses.
- A former prosecutor who had an ostentatious wedding in Lviv was put on the wanted list.
- A former Berkut officer was sentenced to six years in prison for torture.
- The 11th participant of the national selection for Eurovision 2024 was selected through Diia.
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