The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed to the Verkhovna Rada to extend martial law and general mobilization for 90 days. Relevant draft laws №12151 and №12152 provide for the continuation of these measures from November 10, 2024 to February 7, 2025.
Bill No. 12151 calls for approval of the Presidential Decree on the continuation of martial law, while Bill No. 12152 provides for the continuation of general mobilization. Thus, the general mobilization and martial law imposed after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, could last almost three years.
Initially, the Verkhovna Rada approved the presidential decrees on martial law and mobilization for 30 days, but the terms were gradually extended, first by a month, and from May 2022 – by three months.
According to the results of the survey by the Razumkov Center, in September 2024, 83% of Ukrainians believe in the victory of Ukraine. Of those who are sure of victory, 39% predict it in the next 1-2 years, 19.5% – by the end of the current year, 15% – in 3-5 years, 5% – in more than five years, and 2 % believe that victory will not happen “in their lifetime”.
Earlier, in February-March 2023, 50% of respondents expected victory by the end of the same year, showing an optimistic mood.
According to updated forecasts by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the main scenario calls for the end of the war at the end of 2025, although the IMF previously predicted the end of hostilities at the end of 2024. The negative scenario, which takes into account the escalation of the conflict, postpones the end of the war to mid-2026, which could lead to a significant economic decline in 2025 and prolonged stagnation.
Features of martial law
During the period of martial law in Ukraine, there are various restrictions, in particular:
- restrictions on movement, in particular, a ban on traveling abroad, document checks, curfews;
- restrictions on the right to work and entrepreneurial activity;
- restrictions on the confidentiality of correspondence and telephone conversations;
- restrictions on freedom of speech, activities of media and political parties;
- prohibition of holding elections and referenda.
