Live updates: Zelenskyy suspends parties with Russian links

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ordered to suspend activities of 11 political parties with links to Russia.

The largest of them is the Opposition Platform for Life, which has 44 out of 450 seats in the country’s parliament. The party is led by Viktor Medvedchuk, who has friendly ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is the godfather of Medvedchuk’s daughter.

Also on the list is the Nashi (Ours) party led by Yevheniy Murayev. Before the Russian invasion. the British authorities had warned that Russia wanted to install Murayev as the leader of Ukraine.

Speaking in a video address early Sunday, Zelenskyy said that “given a large-scale war unleashed by the Russian Federation and links between it and some political structures, the activities of a number of political parties is suspended for the period of the martial law.” He added that “activities by politicians aimed at discord and collaboration will not succeed.”

Zelenskyy’s announcement follows the introduction of the martial law that envisages a ban on parties associated with Russia.

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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:

— Ukraine’s leader warns that the war will cost Russia for generations

— Even if Russia is denied an easy victory, Putin can keep pounding Ukraine for months

— Putin rallies behind Russian troops while lethal shelling rains down on Ukraine

— Ukraine’s cultural capital finds that it is no longer distant from the war

— Minister: Clearing the live ordnance now scattered across Ukraine will take years and outside help

— Go to https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine for more coverage

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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS TODAY:

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