Since October 20, the occupiers have imposed “martial law” on the territory of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, which de facto provides for the capture of residents.
The Russians still continue to call their war of aggression against Ukraine a “special military operation.” Nevertheless, the main occupier introduced “martial law” in the occupied territories of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. It provides:
- Prohibition on the free exit of citizens outside the TOT;
- Evacuation of economic, social and cultural objects, as well as temporary relocation of residents to safe areas;
- Introduction of a special regime of entry and exit to the territory, as well as restrictions on freedom of movement through it;
- Involvement of citizens in the performance of works for the needs of defense, liquidation of the consequences of the use of weapons by the “adversary”, restoration of economic objects;
- Seizure of property necessary for the needs of “defense” from organizations and citizens with subsequent payment by the state of its value;
- Introduction of military censorship in the field of communications, as well as control over telephone conversations.
In fact, this is the “legalization” of the enemy’s holding of the population of Ukraine in captivity, namely:
- looting of state and personal property;
- a ban on leaving lands controlled by Ukraine;
- prohibition of free movement on the TOT and passport control;
- repression;
- forced labor for the enemy.
All this had already happened before in the temporarily occupied territories, but there was no “legal wrapping”. The latter is necessary in order to fully transfer control over the territories to the occupying army, and not to imitate “civilian administrations” with collaborators who were involved only to simulate “expression of will”.
However, Ukraine’s National Resistance Center emphasizes that the whole world does not recognize the “referendum”. Thus, at the last vote of the UN General Assembly, 143 countries refused to recognize the occupation, and only 5 (including the occupiers) voted against the relevant resolution.
We also note that the vast majority of the population of TOT did not receive Russian passports and are not citizens of the Russian Federation. At the same time, the Geneva Convention prohibits the involvement of citizens of an adversary country (that is, Ukraine in this case) in work related to military operations.
Also, international law prohibits restrictions on the departure of citizens of another country during hostilities. However, the Russian Federation restricts movement on TOT. That is, Russia prohibits the free movement of Ukrainians and prevents them from leaving the territories controlled by Kyiv.
Another norm of international law, which Putin violates with his decree, is the confiscation of property and the evacuation of cultural institutions and industrial facilities, as well as the taking of hostages. After all, the forced evacuation of the civilian population in the order actually means the selective deportation of local people to the regions of the Russian Federation. In addition, according to our data, a mobilization will be announced later on the TOT, which the occupiers are already covertly carrying out under the guise of forming “volunteer battalions”.
Therefore, Putin’s decree on the so-called martial law, which at the same time operates only in the occupied territories, is another war crime by Moscow directed against Ukrainians. Ukraine is winning, and the Russian Federation already recognizes this, resorting to looting captured regions, in the best traditions of the Golden Horde.
But this will not help the enemy to change the course of a losing war, and it will not even help postpone his defeat. Ukraine will return not only the territories, but also all the kidnapped people, and all losses of material values will be compensated by reparations, which the Russian Federation will pay for decades to come because of Putin’s whim.
