Adoption of bill “against the UOC-MP” and advance of Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kursk region: highlights for August 20
MPs passed a bill that would ban the activities of religious organizations affiliated with Russia in Ukraine. Ukraine's defense forces control a total of 1263 km² of the Kursk region of Russia. We collected the main news for August 20, 2024.
Adoption of a bill “against the UOC-MP”
265 MPs supported in the second reading a bill that would ban the activities of religious organizations associated with Russia in Ukraine. This document may suspend the activities of the UOC-MP.
The law comes into force 30 days after its publication. However, the UOC-MP communities will have another 9 months to sever ties with the Russian Orthodox Church.
The head of the UOC Information and Education Department, Metropolitan Klyment, said in a commentary to hromadske that the UOC-MP will continue to live as a true church, and its ban, he said, reminds of historical parallels with the communist past.
Other voting in the Verkhovna Rada
In the first reading, the Verkhovna Rada supported a draft law on deprivation of state awards for popularization or propaganda of the Russian Federation or other illegal actions against Ukraine.
MPs also voted in favor of a bill on the status of Ukrainian soldiers fighting outside Ukraine, in particular in the Kursk region of Russia. Thus, they will have the same rights and social protection as those fighting on the front line in Ukraine.
In addition, the draft law proposing to exempt from liability those soldiers who deserted for the first time or left their units without permission but later expressed a desire to return to service was also adopted.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the work of the Verkhovna Rada, noting that he was “waiting for documents from the parliament”.
Advances of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kursk region
According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Ukrainian Defense Forces control 93 settlements in the Kursk region of Russia, a total area of 1,263 square kilometers. Ukrainian soldiers have already advanced 28 to 35 kilometers.
Syrskyi explained that the operation in Kursk region is being conducted to “create a security zone, stop shelling of civilian objects in Sumy region from the territory of the Russian Federation, and to outrun the enemy”.
Shelling of an industrial facility in Ternopil
On the night of August 20, Russian troops attacked an industrial facility in Ternopil, causing a fire. Fuel and lubricants caught fire there.
The fire was localized in a few hours. In the morning, no excessive levels of combustion products were recorded in Ternopil and the region. Later, however, experts found that the level of chlorine was exceeded by 4 to 10 times.
Veteran was diagnosed with “pregnancy” by the military medical commission
Military Stanislav Dekhtiar (call sign Uksus), who lost his leg in the war, said that a surgeon at the military medical commission had declared him unfit for military service under the “pregnancy” clause.
He noted that this is an example of a “mess” in the medical services that decide the fate of the military.
Russian blows up the headquarters of “Storm Z”
The DIU said that a Russian army serviceman with the call sign Silver cooperated with Ukraine because of systematic war crimes and other crimes of the command, including extrajudicial executions, beatings and extortion in the occupation unit.
As part of Operation Ocheret, he blew up the headquarters of the Storm Z battalion officers, where his commander and other Russian officers were sleeping. He then fled to Ukrainian-controlled territory and became a recruit for the Freedom of Russia Legion.
Coach who cursed the military was allegedly chained to a tree
A video was posted online showing a beaten man chained to a tree at night. Allegedly, the man is a trainer at a fitness center in Odesa who had previously cursed the military.
In the footage, the man chained to the tree says that he will serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and allegedly claims to have been raped.
Other important news of the day
- The Ministry of Health has approved the members of the Council for the Restoration of Okhmatdyt.
- The Cabinet of Ministers adopted a resolution on cashback for the purchase of Ukrainian goods.
- An ex-soldier was convicted for a knife given by his comrades-in-arms. He calls the verdict falsified.
- MPs immediately summon Energy Minister Halushchenko to the Verkhovna Rada.
- WSJ: Germany is outraged that Poland has not arrested a Ukrainian allegedly involved in the Nord Stream bombing.
- Strike on children's cafe in Zaporizhzhia: 15-year-old boy was killed.
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