Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council head rules out martial law – for now
There is no reason to impose martial law in the country at the moment, but its use in future can’t be ruled out, Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said on Dec. 19 in an interview with Ukrainian news website Apostrophe.ua.
“I’d refrain from frightening people with the imposition of martial law at the moment,” Danilov said.
“That decision will be made based on the circumstances and conditions in the country, and for now I don’t think that it’s warranted. If things should change tomorrow, we won’t hesitate in this regard.
“We won’t allow a repeat of what happened in 2014, when our military was reluctant to perform their duty and defend their country. Everyone involved will behave in accordance with their station, by the book, following the plan.”
Regarding the Russian military buildup around Ukraine’s borders, Danilov said the government was monitoring the situation closely, saying “We’re very much in control, with daily intelligence updates on the situation from appropriate organizations. We don’t anticipate … (a Russian invasion) at the moment.”
At the same time, Danilov said such a risk could emerge at any point, as the leadership in the Kremlin remains unpredictable.
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