Putin orders partial Russian mobilisation, warns West over nuclear blackmail

Russian President, Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered Russia’s first mobilisation since World War Two, warning the West that if it continued what he called its “nuclear blackmail” that Moscow would respond with the might of all its vast arsenal.

“If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will use all available means to protect our people – this is not a bluff,” Putin said in a televised address to the nation, adding Russia had “lots of weapons to reply”.

Russia’s defence minister said the partial mobilisation will see 300,000 reserves called and up would apply to those with previous military experience.

Putin’s partial mobilisation significantly escalates the conflict over Ukraine and comes as Russia battles a Ukrainian counter-offensive that has forced its troops to retreat and surrender some occupied territory.

Putin said the partial military mobilisation of its 2 million-strong military reserves was to defend Russia and its territories, claiming the West did not want peace in Ukraine.

Putin’s speech was a worrying escalation and the threats he made in it must be taken seriously, British foreign office minister Gillian Keegan told Sky News.

“Clearly it’s something that we should take very seriously because, you know, we’re not in control – I’m not sure he’s in control either, really. This is obviously an escalation,” she said.

Russia’s rouble fell and global oil prices surged after Putin’s comments. MKTS/GLOB The war has already caused a spike in fuel and food prices around the world.

Responding to the development, British foreign office minister Gillian Keegan said Putin’s speech was a worrying escalation and the threats he made must be taken seriously

“Clearly it’s something that we should take very seriously because, you know, we’re not in control – I’m not sure he’s in control either, really. This is obviously an escalation,” Keegan said.

“It is chilling … It’s a serious threat, but one that has been made before,” she told the BBC in a separate interview.

Putin restated his objective was to “liberate” eastern Ukraine’s Donbas industrial heartland and that most people in the region did not want to return to what he called the “yoke” of Ukraine.

“The overall address clearly was more of Putin’s lies, it was a rewriting of history,” Keegan said.