President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law that regulates the deployment of Ukrainian Armed Forces units to other countries that are not aggressors to ensure national security and defense.

The relevant announcement was published on the parliament’s website.

The bill registered at the beginning of January under number №12378 was vetoed by the president and returned for reconsideration with the president’s proposals. After that, the revised law was adopted again by the Verkhovna Rada on February 25.

The amendments made by the president removed the provision requiring the Verkhovna Rada to make a decision on the deployment of Ukrainian Armed Forces units to other countries during the martial law period, as, in exceptional circumstances, the command of the Armed Forces and other formations can be carried out by the President through the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Previously, the bill stipulated that the president would submit information to parliament about the mission, the total number of the specified units, the type and composition of their weapons, military equipment, subordination, duration of stay, and the procedure for possible extensions, as well as the procedure for replacing personnel and their maintenance.

Deployment of Troops Abroad

The agreed version of the bill regulates the placement of Ukrainian Armed Forces units on the territory of other countries to carry out measures aimed at ensuring national security during the period of martial law.

“During the period of martial law, units, military units, and subdivisions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine may be sent to other countries and remain on the territory of these countries in accordance with Ukrainian legislation, for the purpose of carrying out measures related to ensuring national security and defense, repelling and deterring armed aggression against Ukraine, protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as exercising the right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations,” states the proposed document.

The explanatory note to the bill states that the proposed changes will improve the mechanisms for the deployment and stay of military personnel and individual units on the territory of partner countries during the period of martial law.

This is intended to facilitate the acquisition of complex military equipment and its professional mastering by the military on the territory of other countries.

It is worth noting that the bill itself describes the activities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces units in general terms, which are not limited to just the training of Ukrainian military personnel abroad.

Previously, other components of the Ukrainian Defense Forces had already carried out military operations on the territory of third countries. In particular, the representatives of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine officially informed about tasks carried out in Sudan, aimed at ensuring national security and defense.

In August 2021, Special Forces of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine also carried out a successful ground operation to evacuate more than 700 citizens of Ukraine and other countries from Afghanistan during the Taliban’s takeover of power.