Russian president threatens west with nuclear retaliation, saying ‘we will use all the means at our disposal’. Vladimir Putin has announced a partial mobilisation in Russia in a significant escalation that places the country’s people and economy on a wartime footing. The president also threatened nuclear retaliation, saying that Russia had “lots of weapons to reply” to what he called western threats on Russian territory and added that he was not bluffing. In a highly anticipated televised address, Putin said that Russia’s first mobilisation since the second world war was a direct response to the dangers posed by the west, which “wants to destroy our country”, and claimed the west had tried to “turn Ukraine’s people into cannon fodder”. “Military service will apply only to citizens who are currently in the reserve, especially those who have served in the armed forces, have certain military professions and relevant experience,” he said. Shortly after Putin’s announcement, the country’s defence ministry, Sergei Shoigu, said 300,000 Russians would be called up as part of the mobilisation that will apply to “those with previous military experience”. (…) The Russian leader’s televised address to the nation comes a day after Russian-controlled regions in eastern and southern Ukraine announced plans to hold “referendums” this weekend on becoming part of Russia. Kremlin’s plans to annex four regions are likely to further escalate the war following Ukrainian recent successes on the battlefield.
via guardian: Putin announces partial mobilisation and threatens nuclear retaliation in escalation of Ukraine war
siehe auch: Flights out of Russia sell out after Putin orders partial call-up. One-way flights out of Russia were rocketing in price and selling out fast on Wednesday after President Vladimir Putin ordered the immediate call-up of 300,000 reservists. Putin’s announcement, made in an early-morning television address, raised fears that some men of fighting age would not be allowed to leave the country. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the call-up would be limited to those with experience as professional soldiers, and that students and conscripts would not be called up. The Kremlin declined to comment on whether the borders would be closed to those subject to the mobilisation order, and asked people to be patient as the law is clarified. read more Meanwhile, Google Trends data showed a spike in searches for Aviasales, Russia’s most popular flight-booking site; 300.000 Reservisten : Putin befiehlt „Teilmobilmachung“: Russen versuchen offenbar zu fliehen. Die Teilmobilisierung soll noch an diesem Mittwoch beginnen. Viele Russen versuchen nun, das Land zu verlassen. Die Opposition ruft zu Protesten auf. Knapp sieben Monate nach Beginn des Krieges gegen die Ukraine hat Russland eine Teilmobilmachung der eigenen Streitkräfte angeordnet. Er habe diese Entscheidung nach einem Vorschlag des Verteidigungsministeriums getroffen und das Dekret unterschrieben, sagte Kremlchef Wladimir Putin in einer Fernsehansprache am Mittwoch. Damit will er auch Personalprobleme an der Front lösen. Zugleich kündigte Putin an, die „Referenden“ in den besetzten Gebieten der Ukraine über einen Beitritt zu Russland zu unterstützen. (…) Medienberichten zufolge hat sich an der Grenze zu Finnland ein 35 Kilometer langer Stau gebildet. Viele Russen versuchen demnach aktuell ihr Land zu verlassen. Es ist die einzige Grenze, die für russische Touristen mit Schengen-Visa noch geöffnet ist: Erst vor zwei Tagen hatten die baltischen Staaten die Einreise von Russen gestoppt. Russen im wehrpflichtigen Alter müssen nun mit bis zu zehn Jahren Haft rechnen, wenn sie die Teilnahme an Kampfhandlungen verweigern. Eine entsprechende Gesetzesänderung verabschiedete am Mittwoch der Föderationsrat in Moskau, wie Staatsagenturen meldeten.
