Moscow: President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia will impose martial law in the four regions in Ukraine they annexed last month, NBC News reported.
“Now we need to formalize this regime within the framework of Russian legislation. Therefore, I signed a decree on the introduction of martial law in these four subjects of the Russian Federation,” Putin said on national television on Wednesday.
The Russian President, who ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 24 this year, told his National Security Council about the immediate declaration of martial law in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk and Donetsk. He also set up a new state coordination council to fulfil the objectives of what he described as ‘special military operation’ on Ukraine.
Russian forces have been struggling to maintain their grip on Ukrainian territory amid spirited resistance from Volodymyr Zelensky’s men.
The last one week has seen intense activity, with Russian forces launching waves of missile and ‘kamikaze’ drone strikes in several cities in across Ukraine, including capital Kyiv.
Civilian lives have been lost in cities in villages, and infrastructure like power stations critically damaged, leading to widespread blackouts.
