The Ukrainian parliament on Wednesday adopted amendments allowing the use of frozen sperm or eggs from soldiers, even after their death. The social debate surrounding the issue recently flared up fiercely.
At the end of last year, Ukraine passed a law allowing soldiers to freeze their reproductive cells before leaving for the front. But a provision in the law, which would come into effect at the end of March, required destruction of soldiers’ frozen sperm and eggs after their death.
On Wednesday, 264 MPs approved an amendment that will allow sperm or eggs to be stored for three years after death. Afterwards, the soldier’s partner can pay to extend the storage period.
No MP voted against the measure, which was supported by the Ministry of Health.
The issue is particularly sensitive in the country, which has suffered greatly from the Russian invasion that began almost two years ago. Imposing the destruction of the eggs and sperm of soldiers who died at the front was considered unfair by some, such as lawyer Olena Babytch.
In a post widely shared on social media, she described the situation of one of her clients, whose husband had his sperm frozen and was killed. That sparked a wave of criticism of the provision and MPs vowed to rewrite the law before it comes into force.
Ukraine does not disclose the losses suffered by its military, but U.S. estimates published by the New York Times last August put the death toll at nearly 70,000 and the number of wounded as high as 120,000. (Belga)
2024-02-10 21:21:37
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