The Verkhovna Rada has excluded independent MP Nadia Savchenko from the National Security and Defense Committee.

This decision was supported by 261 MPs at the plenary session on Thursday, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported.

Corresponding draft resolution (No. 5543) was initiated by members of the National Security Committee in December 2016.

In the explanatory note to the document, the authors point out that Savchenko met with the leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics (DPR/LPR) and also note that the MP participates in the committee meetings, where they consider information that is classified as state secret.

"In order to prevent the disclosure of information that relates to state secrets and considering that a committee member should participate in meetings where issues related to state secrets will be considered, it is necessary to adopt this decision in the near future," the explanatory note says.