Zelenskyy plans to extend martial law in Ukraine

OLENA ROSHCHINA  — TUESDAY, 19 APRIL 2022, 14:47

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted a bill "On Extending Martial Law in Ukraine" to the Verkhovna Rada [Ukrainian Parliament]. 

Source: Verkhovna Rada website

Details: The President introduced this bill in Parliament on 19 April. The document was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration.

According to the text of the bill and its annex, Zelenskyy is proposing to extend martial law from 05:30 on 25 April 2022 for a period of 30 days, i.e. until 25 May.

Two previous Presidential decrees on martial law had also covered 30-day periods.

Background: 

• On 24 February, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy imposed martial law due to the start of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

• On 14 March, Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented a draft bill on extending martial law in Ukraine to the Verkhovna Rada.

• On 15 March, the Verkhovna Rada approved a presidential decree extending martial law in Ukraine from 26 March for another 30 days until 25 April.

• Since the beginning of the war, Russia has occupied part of southern Ukraine - almost the entire Kherson region. Now, the war has entered a phase of a larger offensive by the Russian army in eastern Ukraine.