Parliamentary Committee supports ban on mobilization under 25, and Mali breaks off diplomatic relations with Ukraine: highlights for August 5

Support for a ban on mobilization under the age of 25

The Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security and Defense has supported a draft law that bans the mobilization of men aged 18 to 25.

This draft law prohibits mobilization not only of those with limited fitness between the ages of 18 and 25, but also of those who have not completed military service or who did not pass the military department training. The draft law also provides for the right to be released for those who have already been mobilized.

Silver medal at the Olympics

Ukrainian gymnast Illia Kovtun won a silver medal in the parallel bars final at the 2024 Olympics. The athlete earned 15,500 points for his attempt.

Another Ukrainian gymnast competing in the final, Oleh Verniaiev, made a mistake and fell off the bars. He received 13,300 points for his performance.

Severance of diplomatic relations with Mali

The transitional government of Mali announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Ukraine after Ukrainian intelligence spokesperson Andrii Yusov announced a “continuation” of the Tuareg defeat of the Russian PMC Wagner group.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the Malian government's decision, saying that the African country's government had not provided evidence of Kyiv's involvement in supporting Tuareg rebels.

The Foreign Ministry emphasized that Ukraine “strongly rejects the accusations of the transitional government of Mali of alleged ‘Ukraine's support for international terrorism’” and that the country reserves the right to take all necessary measures" in response to Mali's “unfriendly actions”.

Another scandal with the Okhmatdyt tender

Based on the results of the tenders, the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital planned to sign a contract for engineering and consulting services worth UAH 9.35 million with Vasenov Engineering LLC. Technical supervision was supposed to be provided by Ik-Proekt LLC for UAH 5.22 million.

The Ministry of Health later explained that these two tenders on the Prozzoro platform were related and would be canceled. Okhmatdyt denied that the hospital was going to “spend money on services that are not really needed”.

Consideration of appeal in Farion's murder case

The Lviv Court of Appeal has remanded in custody Viacheslav Zinchenko, who is suspected of murdering Ukrainian linguist Iryna Farion. His lawyer requested that the measure of restraint be changed to round-the-clock house arrest.

Meanwhile, Zinchenko's mother said that her son admired the figure of the leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, Stepan Bandera. The woman called the trial of Viacheslav “some kind of political game”.

Chaplain speaks rudely about women in the Armed Forces

Volunteer chaplain and “youth pastor” Mark Serhieiev said that women in the Armed Forces “go through the bed” of their colleagues.

Ukrainian servicewomen have already reacted to the scandalous statements. In particular, combat medic Kateryna Polishchuk, who was released from Russian captivity, “invited” Serhieiev to apologize and join the Armed Forces.

Other important news of the day

• Strike on the Morozovsk airfield: a Su-34 and an ammunition depot are destroyed.
• Ukraine received a $3.9 billion grant from the United States.
• A man who had bought a ticket was demanded to leave the women's compartment. The conductor said he was “entertaining the girls”.
• It is reported online that the 120th Brigade of the TRO was “defeated” in the Donetsk region. The military speaks of a “difficult clash”.
• Protests in the UK: far-rightists tried to burn down a hotel where migrants were staying.