The Verkhovna Rada has green-lit extention of martial law and general mobilisation for three more months – until August 23, in a clear indication Kyiv expects the fighting will go on.
Ukraine’s Golos MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak confirmed the news on social media adding the policy was approved by 315 votes of MPs on Sunday.
Martial law was first imposed in Ukraine on February 24 just hours after Russian launched its onslaught into Ukraine, and the policy has since been prolonged two times – by 30 days. Able-bodied men aged 18 to 60 were banned from leaving the country and urged to join the campaign against the Russian invaders.
Martial law gives the military expanded authority over law-making and curbs civil liberties such as unlimited travel out of the country.
It is worth noting that Ukraine’s law ‘On legal regime of martial law’ wording is vague on martial law duration- it stipulated the policy remains in effect as long as the country is faced with emergency like war, crisis, or disaster