Ukraine war: Putin orders partial mobilisation after facing setbacks

Russian President Vladimir Putin is calling up thousands of extra troops to fight in Ukraine after suffering setbacks on the battlefield.

Mr Putin said the partial mobilisation was necessary to ensure Russian territorial integrity.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said it showed Mr Putin wanted to drown Ukraine in blood – including that of his own soldiers.

The announcement applies to 300,000 military reservists.

They make up a fraction of about 25 million Russian reservists – people who have done their military service which is compulsory in Russia.

It is unclear how much military experience those being called up will have.

Russian commentators have raised questions about the move, pointing out that the signed decree says nothing about a cap on numbers or about any exceptions, such as not recruiting students or conscripts.

Instead, these details are left to regional heads to decide how to meet quotas. In theory, the net could be cast far wider than the Kremlin has specified.

However Russian officials said it would announce “very soon” those who would be exempt from its partial mobilisation.

In a televised address, Mr Putin also said the West were engaging in “nuclear blackmail”. He said Moscow had “lots of weapons to reply” and would use all available means to protects its territory.

Mr Putin said a threat to retaliate further was “not a bluff”.

According to thinktank the Federation of American Scientists, Russia has 5,977 nuclear warheads – the devices that trigger a nuclear explosion – though this includes about 1,500 that are retired and set to be dismantled.

Of the remaining 4,500 or so, most are considered strategic nuclear weapons – ballistic missiles, or rockets, which can be targeted over long distances. These are the weapons usually associated with nuclear war.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called the mobilisation “a sign of panic” while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the latest announcements “an act of desperation”.

……………………………………………………………