Former head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Valentyn Nalyvaichenko believes that the martial law in Ukraine should have been introduced on February 20, 2014, from the moment of the beginning of the occupation of Crimea.

"Martial law, in my opinion, could and should have been introduced from February 20, 2014, since the beginning of the occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, but the aggressor got into its hands not only the ruined country as a result of the Yanukovych regime, but also in the form of collaborators in the person of your client and many law enforcement officers," he said during a testimony as a witness in the Obolonsky district court of Kyiv on the case of high treason of Viktor Yanukovych on Wednesday, answering lawyer Vitaliy Serdiuk's questions.

At the same time Nalyvaychenko noted that in that period then acting President of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov gave clear instructions to oppose separatists, saboteurs and "Russian agents." Regular meetings of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine were also convened.