Overview
- The Cassation Administrative Court on January 29 upheld lower-court rulings that the land allocation near Markhalivka for the National Military Memorial Cemetery was unlawful in case No. 320/25649/24.
- On February 2 the court explained that Ukrainian law prohibits using or reclassifying nature-reserve, water-fund, or designated residential lands for the cemetery, citing an explicit statutory ban.
- The explanation noted the Kyiv Regional Military Administration changed the purpose of a protected parcel despite that prohibition, and courts found those administrative acts illegal.
- Anton Drobovych of the Kyiv School of Economics said the decision did not order cancellation of land title, halt construction, or stop burials, so interments may proceed unless another court rules otherwise.
- Veterans and some military representatives urged a state-level response, while Veterans Minister Nataliia Kalmykova reported a severe staffing shortfall at the cemetery with 52 employees for 175 authorized posts.