The Verkhovnaya Rada has adopted a law imposing administrative responsibility for St. George ribbons. 

This decision was supported by 238 parliamentarians at a required minimum of 226 votes. Now the document must be signed by the president of Ukraine. 

At the legislative level in Ukraine, St. George ribbons were not prohibited, but every year before the Victory Day, the authorities strongly recommended to abandon this symbolism. Instead, since 2014, a new symbol has been popularized - a stylized red poppy flower which is traditionally used in Europe on May 8. 

The explanatory note to the draft law states that since 2014, the St. George's ribbon has been used by ‘pro-Russian separatists on the territory of Ukraine and became a symbol of separatism’.

The law states that the «propaganda» of the St. George's ribbon is public use, demonstration, wearing, as well as the distribution of the St. George ribbon or its image. This includes the display of the St. George's ribbon during mass events, its image on posters, stickers, postcards, wearing on clothes, things, fastening on cars, use in contemporary works of art, as well as in the media. 

‘The public use, demonstration or wearing of St. George's (Guards) ribbon or its image entails the imposition of a fine of 50 to 150 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens (from 850 to 2,550 thousand UAH, i.e. from $ 32 to 97 at the current rate) with the confiscation of St. George (Guards) ribbon or objects containing its images,’ the text of the draft law reads.

The document notes that such actions, committed repeatedly within a year, entail the imposition of a fine of 150 to 300 non-taxable minimums (from 2.55 thousand to 5.1 thousand UAH, i.e. from $ 97 to 190) of citizens' income or the administrative arrest for a period of up to 15 days with the confiscation of St. George's (Guards) ribbon or objects containing its images. 

The document provides an exception for veterans of the Great Patriotic War, whose orders or medals contain elements of St. George's ribbon.

According to: Русская Весна