"Signed the law banning St. George ribbons. Since it is not a symbol of the World War II, it is a symbol of aggression against Ukraine in 2014-2017," Poroshenko said on Twitter.
The bill was passed by the Ukrainian parliament in May and introduced administrative punishment, including fines and arrests, for manufacturing and wearing of St. George's ribbons in Ukraine.
As lawmakers explained, since 2014 the St. George's ribbon has been used by "pro-Russian separatists on the territory of Ukraine and became a symbol of separatism in Ukraine."
The St. George's ribbon is a widely recognized military symbol in Russia. It is also used by civilians as a patriotic symbol and as a symbol of public support to the Russian government, particularly since 2014. The ribbon first became associated with the Victory Day celebrations in Russia in 2005.
Kiev accused Russia of fomenting its civil conflict that has simmered since 2014, when Ukrainian forces launched a campaign against two self-proclaimed republics in the country's east that has refused to recognize the coup-installed government. Russia has rejected any accusations of meddling in the conflict.
