Rada Introduces Criminal Liability Up To 10 Years In Prison For Using Symbols Of Russia's Invasion

The Verkhovna Rada has introduced criminal liability for up to 10 years of restriction of freedom or imprisonment for using the symbols of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

354 parliamentarians voted for the adoption of bill No. 7214 with the minimum required 226, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

In fact, the use of symbols of the invasion of the Russian Federation is equated with Nazi or communist, including in terms of punishment - up to 5 years of restriction of freedom or imprisonment and up to 10 years for the same, but if this is done by an official, a group of persons, repeatedly or with the help of the media.

As the use of the symbols of invasion of the Russian Federation, according to the bill, is recognized:

- the use of the Latin letter Z and/or V both separately (without legitimate context, or in the context of justifying aggression against Ukraine or any other military actions), and the replacement with this letter of the Cyrillic letters 3, С, В, Ф or others in private words with a visual emphasis on it;

- the use of symbols of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, its ground forces, aerospace forces, navy, strategic missile forces, airborne forces, special operations forces, other armed formations and (or) bodies of the terrorist state (aggressor state).

However it can be used in certain cases, in particular at dissemination of information for the purpose of condemnation of the Russian neo-Nazi totalitarian regime, military invasion into Ukraine, and this purpose is expressed in an obvious form, in photographic works, information, information and analytical works, materials of mass media (articles, TV shows, messages on social networks), if such works, materials cannot be interpreted as aimed at justifying aggression against Ukraine.

According to the bill, Ukrainian legislation is supplemented with new terms "terrorist state" and "symbols of the military invasion of the Russian neo-Nazi totalitarian regime in Ukraine."

In addition, Russia is recognized as a terrorist state, one of the goals of the political regime of which is the state genocide of the Ukrainian people, physical destruction, massacres of Ukrainian citizens, committing international crimes against civilians, using prohibited methods of war, destroying civilian facilities and critical infrastructure; creation of artificial humanitarian disasters in certain regions of Ukraine.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the United Jewish Community believes that one for sure can find the semantic similarities of the Z (used on Russian tanks and subsequently in publications supporting Russia's attack on Ukraine) with the swastika as a symbol that personifies any bloody regime.