Putin greenlights future elections in martial law regions

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law that allows authorities to hold elections in regions where martial law is imposed, the document is available on a government portal.

Previously, referendums, state and local elections could not be held in these circumstances.

Therefore, the Russian central electoral commission needs to consult the Russian Defence Ministry and the FSB to make a decision on whether elections are required. The law allows elections to be held in the whole region where martial law is introduced or on its part.

In October 2022, Putin imposed martial law in four Ukraine’s occupied territories: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions.