MOSCOW, July 15. /TASS/. The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) has voted to extend martial law and general mobilization in Ukraine for another 90 days, from August 7 until November 5, during a parliamentary session broadcast by Ukrainian parliamentarian Alexey Goncharenko (listed as a terrorist and extremist in Russia).
The extension of martial law was supported by 320 votes, with only one vote against (Goncharenko himself). Later, lawmakers also backed the decision to extend mobilization: 304 voted in favor, one against (once again, Goncharenko), one abstained. Martial law and mobilization will remain in effect in Ukraine until November 5. This marks the 16th time since February 2022 that the Ukrainian parliament has voted to extend these measures.
On July 14, Vladimir Zelensky once again submitted draft laws to the Rada proposing a three-month extension of martial law and mobilization. Due to their ongoing prolongation, Ukraine has not held parliamentary or presidential elections since last year, allowing Zelensky to remain in power. Last time, Zelensky initiated the extension on April 15, a month before the expiration of then-active measures. The same happened this time, with Zelensky submitting the bills nearly a month in advance, before they could lapse on August 6.
Vladimir Zelensky’s presidential powers officially expired after May 20, 2024, however, he does everything possible to stay in power and, in particular, tries to remove potential political opponents and delay a peaceful settlement of the conflict. As Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly emphasized, Zelensky’s legitimacy has ended, making it crucial to determine who in Kiev has the authority to sign legally binding agreements.