This very issue was discussed during the roundtable discussion titled “The Veterans’ Code of Ukraine: Doctrinal and Legal Foundations and Current Issues Regarding Its Adoption,” which took place at the V. M. Koretsky Institute of State and Law of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Andriy Yosypov, an attorney, partner at Barristers Law Firm, Ph.D. in Law, and associate professor in the Department of Public and International Law, participated in the discussion.
As a lawyer working to protect the rights of military personnel, he emphasized: “Reforming veterans’ legislation is not simply a matter of changing the name of the 1993 law. It is a matter of national security and respect for those who hold the front lines.”
The Code Must Be Understandable to Veterans
According to Andriy Yosypov, the main idea behind the future code is maximum practicality: “When we talk about a veterans’ code, it should be a kind of document, like traffic rules for a driver. A veteran should be able to open it and immediately understand their rights, the authorities’ liability for violations of those rights, and how to receive support.”
A key innovation of the bill is the distinction between types of support
In his report, the speaker highlighted an important concept of the bill—the distinction between state and social support for veterans: The new bill distinguishes between obtaining the status of a veteran or defender and receiving benefits. Specifically: - in the case of a minor offense, a person may retain veteran status; - in the case of a serious or particularly serious offense, it is no longer possible to obtain that status. At the same time, a flexible approach to support is proposed.
In such cases, a person may lose state economic benefits but will continue to receive social support, including: - rehabilitation; - psychological assistance; - social support
The risk of the bill: dependence on government decisions
Despite its progressive ideas, the current version of Bill No. 14265 poses serious risks: “The phrase ‘in the manner determined by the Cabinet of Ministers’ appears more than 30 times (out of 56 articles) in the text.” This makes veterans’ rights contingent and dependent on the will of the Cabinet of Ministers. We risk replacing effective, directly applicable provisions with manual control.”
Does Ukraine Need a Veterans’ Code?
The speaker’s position is clear: “The Veterans’ Code has a right to exist, and we need it to unify the chaotic legislation.”
At the same time, the document requires substantial revision: “The legislature must clearly spell out the procedures for judicial protection and ensure that every declared benefit has real financial backing, rather than remaining merely on paper.”
