National Guard will be allowed to use means of forced stopping of cars and stun guns to detain citizens

The Verkhovna Rada supported the bill, which significantly expands the powers of the National Guard in terms of the use of force against citizens.

243 MPs out of the minimum required 226 voted for the adoption in the first reading of the bill 10311 "On Amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the National Guard of Ukraine" regarding the improvement of the legal basis for the use of coercive measures by servicemen of the National Guard of Ukraine," Ukrainian News Agency reports.

According to the bill, the National Guard is allowed to use the following means of influence: physical influence; special means; weapons, weapons and military equipment; aircraft armament. By special means is meant: handcuffs, nets for tying; protective barriers, turnstiles; rubber and plastic truncheons, products with tear and irritant substances, stun guns; forced stopping of transport by various methods; light grenades, means of "acoustic and microwave impact"; small grenades and explosive devices; weapons that fire rubber cartridges; smoke grenades and other means; water cannons and armored vehicles without weapons; drones; EW.

Means of physical influence are physical force and special techniques of hand-to-hand combat.

In relation to Ukrainian drivers, means of forced stopping can be used in the following cases: to stop a car whose driver has ignored the legal requirements of a military serviceman, tries to bypass the checkpoint of an object guarded by the National Guard, violates the established permit regime, ignores road signs and traffic lights about the stop; if the driver's maneuvers pose a real threat to the life or health of a serviceman or other persons; to detain persons who have committed a criminal offense and are trying to escape by car.

At the same time, the bill prohibits National Guardsmen from using the means of forced traffic stop to forcibly stop motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, and vehicles carrying passengers.

It is also prohibited to apply coercive measures: to women with obvious signs of pregnancy, elderly persons, persons with pronounced signs of disability; in premises and land plots owned or assigned to diplomatic missions and consular institutions of foreign countries in Ukraine, unless they request it.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, in 2021, the Verkhovna Rada refused to allow the police to use stun guns during detention.