Local Government in Ukraine in the Conditions of Russian Military Aggression: Response to the Wartime Challenges

Abstract

This article is devoted to the peculiarities of the organization of the local self-government activities in Ukraine in the conditions of the Russian- Ukrainian war. The authors draw attention to the fact that the reform of local self-government and territorial organization of power in Ukraine was initiated and implemented under conditions of Russian aggression. From 2014 until today, a number of laws and regulatory legal acts that regulate the activities of local government organizations in Ukraine both in peacetime and in the conditions of the legal regime of martial law have been adopted. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Functioning of the Civil Service and Local Self-Government during the Period of Martial Law” dated May 12, 2022, to the specifics of the organization of the work of village, township, and city leaders during martial law, work with personnel and other aspects of local government activity today. The peculiarities of the activities of local government organizations in the occupied territories in accordance with the current Ukrainian legislation were also analysed. The authors stressed on the importance of improving certain legal categories and concepts (for example, “ensuring national interests” during the interaction of local government organizations and their officials with illegal bodies (officials) created in the temporarily occupied territories.