Wednesday saw the first Russian mobilisation since World War Two, as President Vladimir Putin issued a warning to the West that if it maintained its “nuclear blackmail,” Moscow would retaliate with the full might of its huge arsenal.
In a televised address to the nation, Putin stated: “If the territorial integrity of our country is challenged, we will use all possible means to safeguard our people – this is not a bluff.” He also stated that Russia had “plenty of weapons to retaliate.”
According to the Russian defence minister, 300,000 reserves will be partially mobilised, and only those with prior military experience would be called up.
The crisis over Ukraine has been dramatically escalated by Putin’s partial mobilisation, which comes as Russia fights off a Ukrainian counteroffensive that has compelled its troops to retreat and give up some of their captured land.
Putin claimed that the West did not desire peace in Ukraine and that the partial military mobilisation of Russia’s 2 million-strong military reserves was necessary to defend Russia and its territories.
