Ukraine renews martial law and mobilization to January 29

Ukraine's parliament voted Monday to extend martial law and general mobilization for a further 90 days, pushing both measures to January 29, 2027.

The Verkhovna Rada approved Bill No. 16182 on martial law with 293 votes in favour and Bill No. 16183 on mobilization with 281 votes. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed laws No. 5029-IX and No. 5030-IX the same day, enacting presidential decrees No. 1060/2026 and No. 1061/2026. Both take effect on October 31, when the current extension expires.

Speaking before the vote, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Ihor Klymenko said the extension was needed to counter Russia's continuing armed aggression and to keep in force the special powers held by state authorities, the military command and local governments.

Ukraine has renewed both measures every three months since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The extension comes days after Prime Minister Serhii Koretsky's government finalised an overhaul of the worker deferment system on October 23, effectively ending automatic exemptions from mobilization for defense and energy companies. Under previous rules, most critical companies could defer up to 50 percent of draft-age employees, while defense and energy firms could defer up to 100 percent. Ukrainian law requires men aged 25 to 60 to serve unless they qualify for a health or work deferment.

Zelensky also enacted a separate decree on city defences on Monday.