Ukraine to extend martial law by three months
Ukraine's parliament will extend martial law by another 90 days early next week, MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak has claimed. He further suggested that given this prospect, it is unrealistic to expect presidential elections in the coming months.
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky's presidential term expired last May but he has refused to hold a vote, citing martial law. As a result, the Kremlin has deemed the Ukrainian leader illegitimate.
In a video published on YouTube on Saturday, Zheleznyak said that there is currently a lot of speculation as to whether the Verkhovna Rada will prolong martial law, especially in light of claims that a ceasefire with Russia could be within reach or that elections could be held in Ukraine soon.
'Yes,
[martial law and the general mobilization]
will be extended, and this will happen pretty soon: April 15-18,'
the lawmaker from the Holos (Voice) party alleged.
READ MORE:
Ukraine's top general demands 30,000 conscripts a month
He explained that the 90 days are counted starting from the end of the previous extension, as opposed to when the parliament ratifies the decision. According to Zheleznyak, this means that the next three months of martial law in Ukraine will start on May 9 and last until August 6.
The lawmaker pointed out that
'it is impossible, for example, to end martial law on August 6, and immediately hold elections on August 24,'
since under Ukrainian law, they must be preceded by at least 60 and 90 days of preparatory processes for parliamentary and presidential votes, respectively.
Speaking to Ukrainian media last week, David Arakhamia, the head of Zelensky's ruling Servant of the People party in parliament, dismissed reports that Kiev was preparing to hold a snap vote to catch the opposition off guard.
'
All parliamentary parties and groups have agreed that elections should be held six months after the lifting of martial law,
' the lawmaker insisted.
Following the escalation of the conflict with Russia in February 2022, Ukraine imposed martial law and declared a general mobilization, barring able-bodied men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country. Both have been repeatedly extended since.
In response to the mobilization drive being marred by corruption and draft dodging, the Ukrainian government lowered the conscription age to 25 and introduced stricter penalties for draft evasion and desertion last year.
Faced with severe troop shortages, Ukrainian enlistment officers have adopted increasingly draconian methods to fill the ranks, detaining random men in public, often violently, and transporting them straight to enlistment centers, as evidenced by multiple eyewitness videos circulating online.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
3 days ago
- Russia Today
Ukrainian vet behind Dutch knife spree wanted life sentence
A Ukrainian national who faces multiple attempted murder charges after a stabbing spree in Amsterdam has been identified as a military deserter who reportedly dreamed of spending the rest of his life in a Western European prison, according to a Dutch media investigation. The suspect, who is accused of injuring five people near Dam Square in March, was identified as 30-year-old Roman D. The Dutch public prosecutor suggested earlier this month that the attack could have had a terrorist motive. Public broadcaster NOS revealed the Ukrainian national's background on Tuesday following an investigation by its current affairs program, Nieuwsuur. According to the report, Roman D. served in a Ukrainian artillery unit before the escalation of the conflict with Russia in 2022. Acquaintances said he became increasingly withdrawn after suffering a concussion in 2023 and spoke of wanting to be jailed for life in a Western European country. 'He often said that he wanted to kill someone in Norway so that he could go to a prison there and be cared for for the rest of his life,' a former commander told NOS. The remarks were reportedly dismissed as jokes at the time. When I first heard what Roman had done in Amsterdam, I thought: 'an idiot's dream has come true.' Roman reportedly left Ukraine using a travel waiver issued for a visit to his mother in the Czech Republic. She told NOS, however, that he never arrived – instead, he apparently traveled directly to the Netherlands. He remained in contact with former fellow soldiers, who described him as being interested in a wide range of ideologies. '[He] wrote about Allah and something about supporting Palestine. Surprisingly enough, he was also very active in supporting the LGBT community,' one source told the broadcaster. NOS also found that Roman's online presence suggested an association with neo-Nazism, though friends claimed his interest wasn't in earnest. Officials in Eastern European countries, including Poland and the Czech Republic, have expressed concerns over the potential influx of demobilized Ukrainian soldiers once Kiev lifts martial law and allows fighting-age men to leave the country. Veterans 'can face a number of different problems: Adaptation issues, psychosis, depression, addictions,' Polish military psychiatrist Radoslaw Tworus warned in February. 'The spectrum of these disorders is very wide.'
Russia Today
07-06-2025
- Russia Today
Ukraine sentences exiled Zelensky critic to 15 years in jail
A Ukrainian court on Tuesday sentenced Spain-based journalist Anatoly Shariy, a vocal critic of Vladimir Zelensky, to 15 years in prison in absentia on treason charges. Shariy dismissed the verdict as a sham trial driven by political motives and executed by a judiciary loyal to Kiev. Shariy, who was granted political asylum in the European Union in 2012, initially supported Zelensky's 2019 presidential campaign but later turned against the administration, accusing it of drifting toward authoritarianism and aligning with radical nationalist elements. He gained prominence for his political commentary on YouTube, where he has amassed more than 3.3 million followers. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) highlighted the conviction in a statement, emphasizing that it presented crucial evidence to the Vinnitsa city court. The agency noted the 'unprecedented' section of the ruling that ordered the confiscation of Shariy's YouTube channel. Shariy said the case centered on a single video he posted in May 2022, which included a partially redacted interview with a Ukrainian soldier held in Russian custody. He prefaced the segment with a warning urging viewers to approach it critically. The soldier had accused Ukraine's military leadership of abandoning troops during the battle for Mariupol. The SBU alleged that Shariy advised Russian forces on how to film similar interviews for greater impact. The agency also claimed he obtained the footage from a former police chief in Vinnitsa, who was convicted of treason in the same trial. Shariy accused the court of denying him a fair defense, claiming his legal team was ignored throughout the proceedings. Zelensky's administration has long been accused of silencing dissenting voices by labeling critics and independent media as 'pro-Russian.' The country's National Security and Defense Council, chaired by Zelensky, has imposed personal sanctions on exiled opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk, former President Pyotr Poroshenko, and Aleksey Arestovich, a former presidential aide who later became a vocal opponent of Zelensky. Ukrainian lawmaker Evgeny Shevchenko has been detained since November on suspicion of spreading 'pro-Russian propaganda.' Another MP, Artyom Dmitruk, fled Ukraine after reportedly drawing Zelensky's ire by publicly opposing the government's crackdown on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Russia Today
30-05-2025
- Russia Today
Russian MP lays out terms for YouTube's return
YouTube can only resume full operations in Russia if it fulfills a series of legal and technical conditions, State Duma member Anton Nemkin has told RIA Novosti. Although not officially blocked, YouTube has been largely inaccessible in Russia since last year, when its loading speed began slow dramatically. Authorities blamed a lack of server maintenance following Google's exit from the country in 2022. Later, officials partially confirmed the slowdown was also linked to YouTube's failure to comply with Russian law. Nemkin said on Friday that YouTube needed to deal with abandoned equipment, settle outstanding fines, and establish a legal entity in Russia before the platform's functionality in the country can be fully restored. The MP also called on YouTube to restore access to blocked Russian accounts. The platform has removed some media outlets, including RT and Sputnik, and has repeatedly taken down channels run by Russian bloggers, journalists, and artists. Moscow says the removals target content that reflects views diverging from those prevalent in the West. 'Without these steps, it's impossible to speak of any 'easing' – this is not about politics, but legal compliance,' Nemkin said. In March, it was reported that Russian-registered Google LLC owed national broadcasters $1.16 quintillion in fines for failing to restore their YouTube channels. In January, RBK said the international Google corporation owed more than $22 undecillion. The Kremlin described the figures as symbolic, intended to pressure the company into complying with Russian law. Nemkin said dialogue with global platforms such as YouTube could only happen on Russia's terms. 'This is not about bans for the sake of bans, but about equal rights,' he said, adding that companies must comply with local laws, pay taxes, and store user data in Russia. The lawmaker called for an end to the era of unchecked power for major IT companies. If foreign platforms are restored, 'there is no going back to the old dependence.' 'We've learned a harsh but valuable lesson: we cannot build our digital future on platforms that can flip the switch at any moment,' he said, adding that YouTube should no longer serve as the foundation of Russia's internet landscape. Nemkin pointed out that Russia is now developing its own infrastructure – search engines, cloud storage, video hosting, and ad systems – in support of its 'digital sovereignty.'
