Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Wednesday instituting martial law in four Ukrainian territories under the control of the Kremlin.
The areas include Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk. As a result of Ukrainian gains in the areas around Kherson, Russia is currently making a hurried withdrawal from those areas, CNN reported.
Putin's Martial Law in Ukraine
President Vladimir Putin has announced he will implement the strategy at the next meeting of the Security Council. With concerns about Russia's capability to handle a Ukrainian counter-offensive, Russian-installed officials in the Kherson area began substantially ratcheting up the displacement of up to 60,000 people earlier on Wednesday.
In a televised message, Vladimir Putin noted that "in the Donetsk People's Republic, the Luhansk People's Republic, as well as in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, martial law was in effect before joining Russia."
According to The Moscow Times, Putin explained that it is necessary "to establish this regime" within Russian laws, which led to the signing of a decree that introduces martial law in the four Ukrainian regions annexed by the Russian Federation, "so it will be immediately sent to the Federation Council."
The Russian president has called the conflict in Ukraine a "special military operation" and has ordered the formation of a coordination committee to improve communication across government departments, as per an AP News report. According to the proclamation released by the Kremlin, martial law will go into effect early on Thursday.
Putin also promised, "greater power" for the four areas' Russian-appointed governors. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Wednesday that despite the imposition of martial law, Russia will not block its borders.
Curfews, limits on where people may live and travel, censorship by the military, and other measures are all within the purview of the government during a state of martial rule in Russia. According to the Russian Constitution, the rights and freedoms of "citizens of the Russian Federation, foreign nationals, and stateless individuals" may be limited when martial rule is in place.
Ukraine: Putin's Martial Law Has No Impact on Battle For Freedom
A Ukrainian presidential adviser called Putin's imposition of martial law in four occupied Ukrainian areas an act of pseudo-legal theft, per Reuters. Presidential Adviser Mykhailo Podolyak stated on social media that Vladimir Putin's implementation of martial law on the Moscow-controlled areas in Ukraine "should be considered only as a pseudo-legalization of looting of Ukrainians' property by another 'regrouping.'"
He added that Ukraine will still fight for freedom and reclaim its territories. The Kremlin's directive from Wednesday allows for "further measures" to be taken under the current martial rule "if required," including "limitations on rights and freedoms" and "extra duties," as well as "full or partial mobilization."
After the blast on the Crimean bridge, Russia launched devastating airstrikes on Ukrainian urban centers, parks, and infrastructure as the country prepare for a harsh winter, Fox News reported. Ukrainian troops continue to make gains, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky's Tuesday report. Russian drone and missile raids have reportedly damaged roughly a third of Ukraine's power installations.
When Vladimir Putin announced the annexations in September, he said he was acting on the "will of millions" following referendums in the areas, which were widely criticized as illegitimate by Western nations.
Related Article: Russia-Ukraine War: Russia Continues Attacks on Ukraine Power Plants as Ukrainian Army Gears Prepares To Retake Kherson
