The Commander of the Territorial Defense Forces (TDF) has been granted enhanced authority to manage volunteer formations of territorial communities (VFTs).
As explained by the Ministry of Defense, according to the changes in the Regulations on Volunteer Formations of Territorial Communities, the Commander of the TDF can disband a volunteer formation in cases of non-fulfillment or improper execution of territorial defense tasks. "The basis for such a decision is a report or notification from an official of the Armed Forces of Ukraine or a statement from the formation's commander," the Ministry of Defense clarified.
"The updated Regulations also stipulate that the commander of a VFT can submit a request for disbandment only in the event that it is impossible to conduct legitimate gatherings of the formation," the agency added.
They noted that upon disbandment of a unit, contracts with volunteers are automatically terminated, and their identification documents are transferred to the local government authority for destruction.
Volunteer Formations in Ukraine
Today, the Cabinet of Ministers expanded the list of reasons for disbanding volunteer formations of territorial communities.
According to the government representative in the Verkhovna Rada, Taras Melnychuk, changes were made to the Regulations on Volunteer Formations of Territorial Communities to comply with the requirements of the law "On the Fundamentals of National Resistance."
"The legal grounds for disbanding a volunteer formation have been expanded, and a procedure for confiscating the identification of territorial defense volunteers has been introduced in cases of disbandment of a volunteer formation and/or termination of a territorial defense volunteer's contract," Melnychuk detailed.