RESPONSIBILITY OF MILITARY PERSONNEL FOR THE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL BEVERAGES

This article will concern the responsibility of servicemen for drinking alcoholic beverages during martial law.

Every serviceman, taking the oath, undertakes the relevant obligations, which include abstinence from harmful habits, such as alcohol consumption. In addition, military personnel should be an example for younger colleagues and perform their duties conscientiously, observing discipline.

They must understand that their actions can affect others and the results of the entire service as a whole. Yes, military personnel are obliged to comply with the Statute of the Internal Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Disciplinary Statute of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Undoubtedly, today the military in Ukraine during martial law plays an important role in ensuring national security and protecting the territorial integrity of the country. While performing their duties, they must be responsible and reliable, which requires restrictions in various aspects, including the consumption of alcohol.

Ukrainian legislation contains a number of laws and regulations that regulate the consumption of alcohol by military personnel during martial law. Military standards for alcohol consumption are very strict and service members must adhere to them. Any consumption of alcohol while on duty can lead to unpredictable consequences that can adversely affect the safety and operations of the military unit.

Detailed requirements related to this issue will be considered below.

Ukraine has legislation that regulates the responsibility of military personnel for the consumption of alcoholic beverages, which also applies during martial law.

For violation of such norms, a serviceman may be held accountable, which includes disciplinary measures, such as reprimand, reduction of military rank, arrest and detention at guardhouse for violation of military duty.

During martial law, when military personnel are on high alert and may be in danger of life and limb, the liability for violating the ban on the consumption of alcoholic beverages may be even more severe.

In particular, Article 172-20 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Ukraine stipulates that in the case of consumption of alcoholic beverages, including low-alcohol beverages, by military personnel, conscripts and reservists, if they are on the territory of a military unit or are attending meetings, appearing in an intoxicated state or performing military duties in such a state, liability arises in the form of a fine of one hundred to five hundred tax-free minimum incomes of citizens. Part 1 of the article also provides for the possibility of arrest and detention at the guardhouse for no more than 7 days. The same sanctions are applied for refusing to pass a test for the level of alcohol in the blood of a serviceman.

The qualified composition of this offense concerns the top military leadership: namely, the participation of chiefs (commanders) and other managers in drinking alcohol with subordinates, concealing the facts of alcohol consumption, failure to use measures to remove such servicemen from military duties, etc. The punishment for such behavior is a fine in the amount of 500-1000 non-taxable minimum income of citizens or arrest with detention at the guardhouse for a period of up to ten days.

The third part of the article contains sanctions for the repetition of such an offense within one year or in the conditions of a special period. Such actions are punishable by a fine from 1 to 2 thousand tax-free minimum incomes of citizens or arrest with detention at the guardhouse for a period of ten to fifteen days.

It is worth noting that today a special period should be understood as the period of martial law, and therefore, regardless of the subject of the act and the severity, it is part 2 of the article that is applicable.

Therefore, military personnel are responsible for the consumption of alcoholic beverages, which involves disciplinary and administrative consequences, which can be even more severe during martial law. The responsibility of military personnel for the consumption of alcoholic beverages is an important part of their service and they must adhere to established norms and standards. This will help ensure the safety and efficiency of their activities, as well as maintain a good reputation.