REUTERS

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has enacted amendments to the Law of Ukraine "On the Status of War Veterans, Guarantees of their Social Protection" regarding the enhancement of social protection of participants in the struggle for the independence of Ukraine in the 20th century.

The new No. 8519 law with the amendments was returned with the president's signature, an announcement on the parliament's website said.

The parliament passed the legislation on December 6. A total of 236 out of the 326 lawmakers registered in the session hall voted the draft law.

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According to the document, the list of combatants also includes those who took part in all forms of the armed struggle for Ukraine's independence in the 20th century as part of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), Polissian Sich, the Ukrainian People's Revolutionary Army (UNRA), the Carpathian Sich People's Defense Organization, the Ukrainian Military Organization (UVO), and the armed units of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN).

In accordance with the law on the legal status and remembrance of the fighters for the independence of Ukraine in the 20th century, they are recognized "fighters for the country's independence in the 20th century."

The procedure for granting the combatant status shall be established by the Cabinet of Ministers.

According to the All-Ukrainian Brotherhood of the OUN-UPA named after General-Khorunzhyi Roman Shukhevych, as of May 23, 2018, the number of participants in the struggle for Ukraine's independence in the 20th century from among armed units of OUN and UPA was estimated at 1,201 people, an explanatory note to the law said.

It is noted that this number of the combatants forms a specific statistical basis for calculating budget expenditures to ensure the provision of benefits for participants in hostilities.

The law comes into force three months from the date of its publication.