Local self-government bodies and military administrations: current problems of functioning under martial law

Abstract

Russia's large-scale invasion into Ukraine has become a new challenge for society and the government and has provoked a number of crises and problems that seriously complicate the functioning of the state. Presidential Decree No. 64 dated 24 February 2022, “On the Introduction of Martial Law in Ukraine”, introduced martial law throughout Ukraine.

The functioning of the authorities, the life of citizens on the ground, and the resolution of a number of new issues have all become the responsibility of local governments. The primary task was to provide maximum support to the military command and help the community to function. Local self-government in Ukraine has demonstrated a high level of efficiency under martial law. On the example of Kharkiv region, a number of problematic issues of regulatory and legal regulation of the functioning of local self-government bodies and military administrations, the scope of their powers and functioning under the legal regime of martial law have been highlighted in the article. Recommendations have been made to improve and delimit the powers of local self-government bodies and military administrations.

Ukraine’s experience gained during the war has demonstrated the importance of encouraging self-organisation of the population before centralising governance. And this once again confirms the importance of local governments for ensuring the normal functioning of the state as a whole. Further research is planned to be devoted to the prospects for the development of the local self-government system in the post-war period.