Ukrainian parliament approves first reading of mobilisation bill

The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) has approved the first reading of the bill on ramping up mobilisation, RBC-Ukraine reports.

243 people's deputies voted in favour of the bill, 12 voted against it and 45 abstained.

"The bill was adopted without the committee's proposals. The next step will be the introduction of amendments by  February 21 and the second reading," said lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak.

According to him, the bill as a whole will most likely be adopted in the last week of February, signed at the beginning of March and come into force a month later, in April.