Status: 05/22/2022 3:25 p.m
Martial law has been in force in Ukraine since the Russian invasion. Now the parliament in Kyiv has extended this state of affairs. Also present at the meeting was Poland’s President Duda, who delivered an acclaimed speech to MPs.
Ukraine has extended martial law, which has been in effect since the end of February, by a further 90 days. In view of the Russian war of aggression, the parliament in Kyiv also voted to extend the general mobilization until August 23, as several MPs wrote in the Telegram news service. A day later, on August 24, Ukraine traditionally celebrates its Independence Day.
Martial law gives the military extended rights and restricts civil liberties such as the right to demonstrate. Many experts see the duration of the state of war as an indicator of how long Kyiv is currently preparing for possible fighting.
No hope for a quick end to the war
The corresponding draft law was published last week at the suggestion of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyi first declared the state of war on February 24, a few hours following Russia’s attack, and then had it extended twice by 30 days each. The general mobilization, on the other hand, applied immediately for 90 days.
The Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych had already justified the relatively long extension of martial law this time last Wednesday: The war started by Russia will last until the autumn, he said. The Ukrainian population is only being given false hope if martial law is only ever extended by 30 days, as has been the case up to now. Honest communication with society is necessary in war, said the adviser, who mainly talks regarding military issues.
Topic overview
war in Ukraine
Duda wants to help Ukraine join the EU
Polish President Andrzej Duda became the first foreign head of state to speak in Ukraine’s parliament since the Russian invasion began. “The free world has the face of Ukraine,” said the politician in his speech. The parliamentarians rose once more and once more to applaud the guest from Poland. Selenskyj was also present. Duda said no one might disturb the Polish-Ukrainian unity. “Poland will do everything in its power to help Ukraine become a member of the European Union.”
The Polish head of state also spoke of the intention to conclude a Polish-Ukrainian friendship agreement. Details were not initially known. Surprisingly, Duda’s solidarity visit only became known in the morning. The 50-year-old traveled to Ukraine for the second time since the outbreak of war.
Poland’s President Duda in the Ukrainian parliament: “The free world has the face of Ukraine”
Image: REUTERS
Heavy fighting for towns in the Luhansk region
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army reported further heavy fighting around the towns of Sieverodonetsk and Lysychansk in the Luhansk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. Positions of Ukrainian troops would be shelled with Russian artillery along the entire front line in the area, the General Staff in Kyiv said. Russian troops tried unsuccessfully to storm towns north, east and south of Sievjerodonetsk. Fighting was just as fierce for villages south of the route from Lysychansk to Bakhmut in the Donetsk region.
The Russian army has been trying for days to cut off supplies from the Donetsk region to the Ukrainian groups around Sievjerodonetsk and Lysychansk. According to Ukrainian sources, a bridge over the Siwerskyj Donets between the twin cities of Lysychansk and Sievjerodonetsk was specifically destroyed the day before with 240-millimeter mortars. There were also artillery battles and bombardments in the Donetsk region.
Russia’s Defense Ministry, in turn, announced that a total of almost 40 targets had been attacked from the air in the past 24 hours, including five weapons depots in the Donbass. In addition, more than 580 targets with rockets and artillery were fired at nationwide.
conflicting parties as a source
Information on the course of the war, shelling and casualties provided by official bodies of the Russian and Ukrainian conflict parties cannot be directly checked by an independent body in the current situation.
