Law on military chaplains is published in "Voice of Ukraine"

This is reported by Ukrinform while referring to the online version of the publication.

Thus, the law regulates relations in the sphere of implementation of the constitutional right to freedom of worldview and religion of military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, other military formations formed in accordance with the laws of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, as well as defines the legal and organizational bases and principles of the military chaplaincy service.

According to the text of the document, the military chaplaincy service is formed as a separate structure within the armed forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, other military formations formed in accordance with the laws of Ukraine, the State Border Service, the type of which depends on the scope, nature and complexity of measures to meet spiritual and religious needs in their military administration body, unit, military unit, military educational institution, institution and organization. In a military unit, at the level of a separate Battalion, the functions of military chaplaincy service can be performed by one military chaplain.

The relevant services report directly to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Ukraine, the commander of the National Guard, the heads of other military formations formed in accordance with the laws of Ukraine, and the chairman of the state border service.

The maximum number of Military Chaplaincy Services may not be less than 0.15% of the maximum number of the armed forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, other military formations, and the state border service, respectively.

A military chaplain may be a citizen of Ukraine who is a clergyman of a religious organization registered in Ukraine and has received a mandate from the management center (management) of the relevant religious organization for the right to carry out military chaplaincy activities.

A mandatory requirement for holding the position of a military chaplain is to have higher theological education (this norm comes into force 5 years after the law comes into force).

A person who is legally restricted access to formations, military units and subunits of the armed forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, and other military formations and the State Border Guard Service formed in accordance with the laws of Ukraine cannot be a military chaplain.

Information about a person who became known to a military chaplain during the implementation of military chaplaincy activities is confidential.

A military chaplain has the right not to answer questions about the facts and circumstances that became known to him during the confession.

In order to properly organize the processes to meet the spiritual and religious needs of the personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, and other military formations formed in accordance with the laws of Ukraine, it is planned to introduce appropriate quotas for confessional representation.

It is planned to create Interfaith councils on military chaplaincy under the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs as advisory bodies.

The law comes into force on July 1, 2022.

On December 17, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the law of Ukraine "On Military Chaplaincy " No.1915-IX, which the Verkhovna Rada adopted on November 30.