Putin declares martial law in annexed regions ahead of looming Kherson attack

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday declared martial law in the four illegally annexed regions of Ukraine ahead of a looming attack on Kherson by Kyiv’s forces.

In televised remarks to members of his Security Council, Putin also issued a decree restricting movement in and out of eight regions adjoining Ukraine.

The measures apply to the southern regions of Krasnodar, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk and Rostov, which are all near Ukraine, and the territories of Crimea and Sevastopol, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014.

Putin said he was conferring additional powers on the leaders of all of Russia’s 80-plus regions to protect critical facilities, maintain public order and increase production in support of what Moscow calls its “special military operation”.

The moves came the same day Kremlin-backed officials in occupied Kherson urged civilians to flee and said they were preparing to evacuate up to 60,000 people ahead of an imminent Ukrainian attack, which they vowed to repel “to the death.”