No 'Glory to Ukraine' on cigarettes for Ukrainian soldiers in UK after government deems message illegal
The UK Defense Ministry's plan to lift the spirits of Ukrainian soldiers training in Great Britain ran into a snag after being deemed illegal, the Telegraph reported.
The Defense Ministry had hoped to place the popular Ukrainian slogan "Slava Ukraini" ("Glory to Ukraine") on packages of cigarettes, before being told that it violated the UK's anti-tobacco law.
British officials contacted a major tobacco company in 2022 to see if it could provide cigarettes to Ukrainian soldiers in the UK after Ukrainian soldiers complained about the price.
The department asked if it could order cigarettes in bulk, and if a message in support of Ukraine could be placed on the inside of the cigarette box.
This plan to include messages of support for soldiers on cigarette boxes is based on World War I cigarette card support messages, which featured watercolor illustrations depicting battlefield heroism.
Officials were finally told that messaging on cigarettes is banned in the UK under the anti-smoking law which also prohibits branding on packs.
Ukrainian soldiers undergoing training in the UK receive free cigarettes as part of an agreement brokered by the Ministry of Defense.
Read also: UK announces $75 million military aid package for Ukraine
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