Moscow, Sep 21 (UNI) Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has announced “partial mobilisation” in Russia “to defend the motherland, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the security of our people”, according to the state-owned news agency TASS.
He said this concerns “only citizens in the military reserve, those who’ve served in the army”, the BBC reported.
He also issued a threat (to the West) : “If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, to defend Russia and our people, we will use all means we have. This is not a bluff.
"The territorial integrity of our motherland, our independance and freedom will be secured, I repeat with all the means we have.
"Those who try to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should know that the prevailing winds can turn in their direction.”
He said that the West has shown that its aim is to destroy Russia and that it has tried to turn Ukraine's people into cannon fodder.
Our aim is to liberate Donbas, he said in his televised address to the nation.
Putin said "it's necesasry to take an urgent decision to protect our people in the liberated lands".
"That's why I asked the ministry of defence to agree to 'partial mobilisation'".
He said the decree has already been signed and that the partial mobilisation starts Wednesday.
He said that all citizens who will be mobilised will have full armed forces status.
Putin said that the West has been blackmailing Russia but that Russia has many weapons with which to respond. "We will use all resources we have to defend our people," he added.
"I trust in your support," he concluded.
Putin also said that people living in areas of Ukraine under Russian control do not want to be "under the yoke of neo-Nazis", according to reports in international media.
On plans for so-called referendums in these parts of the country, he goes on to say "we support these people".
Russia's parliament this week approved tougher punishments for desertion under mobilisation.
Western nations meanwhile have condemned Moscow's plans to hold urgent so-called referendums in parts of Ukraine that are currently under Russian control

The votes have been called by Russian-backed officials in four Ukrainian regions -- Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia -- to ask whether they should become part of Russia

The administrations in these four regions say they will begin referendum Friday.
The US, Germany and France have said they would never recognise the results of such "sham" ballots, the BBC reported.
Putin's statements came amid the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, which will also be attended by US President Joe Biden later.
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