Donetsk, Jun 28 - DAN. Fearing to lose power, Ukrainian President Petr Poroshenko might introduce martial law in the country, Donetsk People’s Republic Head Alexander Zakharchenko said during the hotline with the Republic’s residents on Thursday.

“Poroshenko will probably introduce martial law and cancel elections; if he loses power, he will go on trial together with Yatsenyuk, Turchinov Avakov and dozens of other people,” Zakharchenko said. “So it would be easier to arrange for cancelling elections there.”

The Ukrainian presidential election is scheduled for March 31, 2019.

The case against Poroshenko and his associates has been reviewed by the Ukrainian People’s Tribunal since March 2018 on the basis of Ukrainian legislation and norms of international law. The Tribunal considered the charges of genocide, Donbass blockade, war propaganda, tortures, robberies and lootings, establishment of illegal paramilitary formations and use of armed forces against civilians. The verdict was announced in Lugansk on June 22. The Tribunal sentenced Poroshenko and his abettors to life imprisonment.*jk