Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday he was introducing martial law in four Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine that Moscow last month claimed as its own territory but is having difficulty stopping. Ukrainian advances.
In televised remarks to members of his Security Council, Putin also instructed the government to create a special coordination council under Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to work with Russia’s regions to boost the war effort. from Moscow in Ukraine.
The package of measures, almost eight months into the war, marks the latest escalation by Putin to counter a series of major defeats at the hands of Ukrainian forces since early September.
By reaching out to regions beyond Ukraine, they ensure that a larger part of the Russian population, already chastened by a partial mobilization announced last month, feels the consequences of the war in their own lives.
The decree released by the Kremlin orders “economic mobilization” in eight regions bordering Ukraine, including Crimea, which Russia invaded and annexed in 2014, and says entry and exit from the regions would be restricted.
Putin said he was giving leaders of all of Russia’s more than 80 regions additional powers to protect critical facilities, maintain public order and increase production in support of Moscow’s “special military operation.”
The moves came the same day that Russian-installed officials in Kherson, one of the four occupied regions, told civilians to leave some areas as soon as possible in anticipation of an imminent Ukrainian attack.
Putin said the measures he was ordering would increase the stability of the economy, industry and production in support of the military effort.
“We are working on solving very complex and far-reaching tasks to ensure a reliable future for Russia, the future of our people,” he said.
