Putin announces martial law in Ukraine’s Russian-occupied territories

Putin’s decree provides for the introduction of martial law in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories of Kherson, Zaporizhzhya, Luhansk, and Donetsk oblasts.

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The decree supposedly comes into force at midnight on Oct. 20.

Putin also said that Kremlin puppets in these occupied regions would get additional powers allegedly “to ensure security.”

With another decree, he introduced “the regime of maximum response to security risks” in the occupied regions of Ukraine.

The Russian dictator made his statement amid massive missile attacks on Ukraine in the afternoon of Oct. 19.

Read also: List of Russian missiles used in mass strike on Ukraine

On Sept. 27, Russian invaders announced the “results” of sham referendums staged in the occupied territories of Kherson, Zaporizhzhya, Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. The results were over 90% “support” for annexation. There were widespread reports of falsification and coercion during the holding of the sham referendums.

Putin on Sept. 30 ordered the Donbas puppet authorities, as well as collaborators in Kherson and Zaporizhzhya oblasts, to sign papers agreeing to the Kremlin’s claimed annexation.

Read also: Russian "referenda" in occupied parts of Ukraine have no legal value, UN Secretary-General says

On Oct. 4, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy implemented a National Security and Defense Council decision that renders negotiations with Putin impossible, though he stated that Ukraine is ready to negotiate with Putin’s successor.

The Ukrainian president also officially declared Putin’s decrees on the annexation of Ukrainian territories as null and void.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine