The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has banned the production and public use of Saint George (Guards) ribbons and introduced administrative responsibility for this.

Bill No. 2987 on amendments to the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses on the ban on the production and propagation of Saint George (Guards) ribbons scored 238 votes from lawmakers at a plenary session on Tuesday.

According to the bill, public use, demonstration or wearing of such ribbons or their images entail a fine in the amount of from 50 to 150 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens with confiscation of Saint George (Guards) ribbons or objects with such images.

If these actions are carried out again within a year after being brought to administrative responsibility, they entail the imposition of a fine in the amount of from 150 to 300 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens or administrative arrest for up to 15 days with the confiscation of Saint George (Guards) ribbons or objects with such images.

According to the author of the amendments, lawmakers from the People's Front parliamentary faction Anton Gerashchenko, "the so-called St. George (Guards) ribbon has long been a symbol of Russian aggression." He said the ribbon is used by the Russian side "to split the Ukrainian nation, the Ukrainian people."

The non-taxable minimum income is now set at UAH 17.