Ukraine: The Ukrainian Parliament approved a bill on Wednesday to declare a state of emergency in the country beginning February 24 in response to the country's ongoing tensions with Russia, according to the parliament's press service.
The bill, which declared a state of emergency for 30 days in all Ukrainian districts except the conflict-torn Lugansk and Donetsk, received 335 votes in the 450-seat parliament. A separate legal system has already been implemented in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, where a Joint Forces Operation is taking place.
According to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, a state of emergency has been declared in 22 Ukrainian regions, prohibiting the holding of mass meetings and protests, the changing of residence of those required to serve in the military, and the production of information materials that could destabilise the country's situation.
The new law also allows for restrictions on residents' freedom of movement, as well as inspections of vehicles, businesses, and personal possessions, as well as the imposition of a curfew if necessary. It also allows residents to be evacuated from areas where they are in risk of losing their lives. Due to the buildup of Russian forces along the Ukrainian border, Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council has urged that the parliament declare a state of emergency across the country. Ukraine's State Border Guard Service (SBGS) had adopted special measures earlier in the day in regions bordering Russia, Belarus, and those with access to the seas.
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