No Martial Law in Moscow Even in the Third Year of War
Ukraine Criticized for Postponing Presidential Election with Martial Law
President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law on the evening of the 3rd, and in the early morning of the 4th, martial law troops entered the National Assembly main building. Photo by Yonhap News
Russia, which has been engaged in the Ukraine war for three years, expressed concern over South Korea's declaration of martial law and advised Russians in South Korea not to participate in gatherings. Since the outbreak of the war in 2022, Russia has declared martial law in the occupied areas of Ukraine but has never declared martial law in the Moscow metropolitan area. Instead, it criticizes the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is indefinitely postponing the presidential election under the pretext of wartime martial law.
Russian Foreign Ministry: "Russians in South Korea, Do Not Participate in Gatherings"
Since President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law on the evening of the 3rd, citizens opposing the declaration of martial law have been confronting the police at the National Assembly building in Yeouido, Seoul, in the early morning of the 4th. Photo by Yonhap News
According to the Moscow Times on the 3rd (local time), the Russian Foreign Ministry, immediately after South Korea's declaration of martial law, urged Russian nationals in South Korea through the Russian Embassy in Seoul to "remain calm, follow the authorities' recommendations, and especially refrain from participating in large-scale political events." According to the Ministry of Justice's Immigration and Foreigners Policy Headquarters, as of last month, there are 71,689 Russian nationals residing in South Korea, ranking eighth among all foreign residents.
The Russian government also expressed concern about South Korea's declaration of martial law and political instability. Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesperson, stated after the declaration of martial law, "The situation regarding South Korea's declaration of martial law is worrisome, and we are closely monitoring it."
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, posted on her Telegram account a message asking, "Will Western countries impose sanctions on South Korea? Or will South Korea be luckier than Georgia?" Georgia has been under sanctions from the United States and the European Union (EU) since the government forcibly enacted laws controlling the media and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in May.
The late image of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner Group leader who led an armed rebellion last June and marched toward Moscow before retreating. AP·Yonhap News
Entering the third year of the Ukraine war, Russia has declared martial law only in four major occupied regions?Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk?but has never declared martial law in the capital, Moscow, or its vicinity. The Russian government continues to limit the Ukraine war to a "special military operation," claiming it is not a full-scale war.
Even when Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner Group, staged a military rebellion in June last year, martial law was not declared in Moscow. According to TASS news agency, on June 24 last year, when Prigozhin began advancing toward Moscow, the Russian government, following the recommendation of the National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC), declared a counterterrorism operation regime in Moscow and surrounding areas. The rebellion ended after three days and the regime was immediately lifted.
The counterterrorism operation regime is an emergency system introduced to prevent terrorism and restore order after terrorist incidents, implementing bans on major events, traffic, and movement controls. However, unlike military martial law, it does not allow arrests without warrants or restrict freedoms and fundamental rights such as freedom of the press, publication, assembly, and association.
On the 1st (local time), Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, is giving a speech welcoming the European Union (EU) delegation's visit to Kyiv. Photo by EPA and Yonhap News.
The only country where political activities are currently suspended due to wartime martial law is Ukraine, which is at war with Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's official presidential term ended on May 20, but he has indefinitely postponed the presidential election, citing the Ukrainian constitution that allows election suspension under martial law.
According to CNN, under the Ukrainian constitution, the presidential election was originally scheduled for March 31, and the winner was to become the new president after Zelensky's official term ended. However, since the outbreak of the Ukraine war in February 2022, martial law has remained in effect, and the parliamentary election scheduled for October 29 last year was also indefinitely postponed.
The Ukrainian constitution explicitly states that the terms of members of parliament are extended under wartime martial law, but it does not mention whether the presidential term is extended, leading to ongoing controversy within Ukraine. Russian authorities also strongly criticize Zelensky's regime for lacking legitimacy. Vasily Nebenzya, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, harshly condemned, saying, "President Zelensky's decision not to hold an election until his term ends is illegal."
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