The declaration of martial law by Russian President Vladimir Putin in four regions annexed by Russia to Ukraine has raised questions about what those provisions are, the reasons why they impose them in the Ukrainian regions, and the extent of their impact on the Russian interior in light of the continuous military intervention losses on the battlefield.
Putin on Wednesday declared martial law in four Ukrainian regions unilaterally annexed to his country: Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia, while pro-Kremlin authorities in Kherson have begun to withdraw from the southern Ukrainian city whose forces are making progress.
what time?
Those four occupied territories in eastern and southern Ukraine are “focal points of the conflict,” according to the newspaper.Washington Post“.
Putin’s decision coincided with Ukraine’s announcement to launch “several Russian missiles” on Kiev for the third consecutive day in the context of Russia’s missile and drone attacks on the Ukrainian capital after a series of military setbacks. for Moscow, according to “AFP”.
That move is “Putin’s latest escalation as his army continues to lose the occupied territories” and came in response to Kiev’s continued successes in counterattacks, according to a newspaper article.Financial Times“.
What is martial law?
Under Russian law, martial law extends the powers of the military and law enforcement.
It allows the military to impose a curfew, restrict freedom of movement, seize civilian property, monitor communications and order citizens to rebuild destroyed cities.
“Martial law essentially means suspending the normal management of the economy and the rule of law,” said Max Bergmann, director of the Europe program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, adding that it allows the military to seize civilian assets and buildings and distribute resources as needed.
The decree gives broader powers to restrict the movement of transport to, from and in the areas and allows for the evacuation of residents of these areas to “safe areas”, according to “AFP”.
Putin’s decree gives “local governments in every region of the country varying degrees of new authority to address security problems,” according to a newspaper article.The Wall Street newspaper“.
Martial law enforcement, which goes into effect Thursday, gives Moscow-backed officials in partially occupied territories a range of broad powers.
These provisions include “curfews, up to 30 days’ imprisonment for anyone, restrictions on freedom of movement, forced resettlement and arrests of citizens of any country believed to be declaring war on Russia,” according to the “Wall Street Journal”.
The newspaper describedThe GuardianThe British, these powers as “radical powers”, aim to maintain public order and increase production to support the war in Moscow, which is entering its eighth month.
How will life change in the Ukrainian regions?
Moscow does not fully control the four regions, so it is unclear whether Russia will be able to effectively implement the provisions or how it will differ from current conditions under military occupation, according to the Washington Post report.
According to Bergman, the decree amounts to “formalizing much of what was already happening on the ground”, emphasizing that it “eliminates the idea that these areas are holding elections”.
He said Putin’s announcement represents “an important indication of the occupation of those areas only militarily”, adding that “the step is an opportunity to obtain more resources and mobilize them for Russian forces”.
When was the last time Moscow imposed martial law?
Moscow has not declared martial law since it was imposed by the Soviet Union during World War II.
During the Soviet era, Russia fought a series of wars, but it did so through its regular forces and did not have to carry out the required mass mobilization now, according to the “Washington Post”.
“In recent decades, Russia has invaded neighboring Georgia and Ukraine, intervened in Syria, but those conflicts did not require mass mobilization,” Bergman says. “The Russian people were told it was a special military operation and is now being mobilized as World War II.”
What is the broader impact of the decree?
In addition to declaring martial law, Putin has imposed “response levels” in 26 regions, including Moscow, and some experts point to “the broader ramifications of that move for Russia at the national level.”
In Russian regions near or on the border with Ukraine such as Krasnodar, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, Rostov, as well as Crimea, some wartime restrictions are imposed, but one step less than the “maximum response” offered from the Kremlin into the occupied Ukrainian territories, according to the Washington Post.
“What we’re seeing is some kind of hot strategy,” Bergman says. “Instead of announcing every major move that could overwhelm Russian public opinion, the idea is to roll it out gradually.”
The Financial Times points to a “vaguely worded point in the decree” that allows Putin to enact “other measures”, which raises the possibility that the Kremlin will put the whole of Russia at war.
Internal tension in Russia has been compounded by “heavy losses on the battlefield, as well as violent protests against Putin’s campaign to recruit another 300,000 men to fight in the conflict in Ukraine,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
