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Updated September 21st, 2022 at 17:38 IST

'A sign of Russia's weakness & failure': US & allies condemn Putin's mobilisation amid war

Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement of partial military mobilisation in the country has garnered widespread condemnation from across the world.

Reported by: Anurag Roushan
Putin
Image: AP | Image:self
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As the ongoing war between Moscow and Kyiv continues unabated in Eastern Europe, Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a partial military mobilisation in the country. In a televised address to the nation on Wednesday, Putin stressed that he was protecting the country's territories as the West seeks to "destroy" Russia. He further claimed that Russia would defend its borders with every tool at its disposal. President Putin's remarks came a day after Russian-controlled regions in eastern and southern Ukraine declared plans to hold a referendum in order to join Russia.

According to reports, the Kremlin-backed initiatives to capture those regions could pave the way for Moscow to intensify the conflict after Ukraine's recent gains. Meanwhile, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu stated that as many as 3,00,000 additional troops would be enlisted to join the "military operation" in Ukraine following President Putin's announcement. However, Russia's move has invited widespread condemnation and world leaders reacted sharply to Putin's announcement. 

Here is how the world reacted to Putin’s announcement:

Ukraine

Ukraine’s presidential adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak stated that Putin had to make a "very unpopular" decision to mobilise his soldiers because the war is obviously not going as per Russia's plan. "210th day of the "three-day war. Russians who demanded the destruction of Ukraine ended up getting: Mobilization, Closed borders, blocking of bank accounts, Prison for desertion. Everything is still according to plan, right? Life has a great sense of humour (sic)," he wrote on Twitter. 

United States

The US ambassador in Ukraine stated that the sham referendum and mobilization are signs of "weakness" as well as "Russia's failure." "The United States will never recognize Russia's claim to purportedly annexed Ukrainian territory, and we will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes," the US diplomat stated. 

United Kingdom

British Foreign Office Minister Gillian Keegan stated that Putin's announcement was a "disturbing escalation" of the conflict in Ukraine, and that his warnings must not be taken lightly. "Clearly, it’s something that we should take very seriously because, you know, we’re not in control. I am not sure he is in control either, really. This is obviously an escalation,” he told Sky News. 

Former Army Officer and the UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD) advisor Lieutenant General (Ret'd) Sir Simon Mayall stated that Putin has "gambled the whole reputation of Russia." "Putin is very much cornered as a result of his own miscalculations," he added.

Meanwhile, UK's newly-elected Prime Minister Liz Truss has also vowed to ramp up the military support to the war-torn country in 2023. "The UK will match or exceed our record 2022 military support to Ukraine in 2023," she stated. 

 

China

The foreign ministry of China urged all parties to engage in discussion and consultation in order to find a solution to security concerns amid the war in Ukraine. Addressing a regular press briefing on Wednesday, Wang Wenbin, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, stated that Beijing's stance on Ukraine is "consistent and clear." Notably, China has so far refrained from condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

Germany

Robert Habeck, the vice Chancellor of Germany, characterised it as just another "terrible and incorrect" move by Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. He further stated that Germany is "considering a response" to the escalation of the war in Ukraine. "We will discuss and consult politically regarding how to respond," Habeck added. 

Czech Republic

According to Prime Minister Petr Fiala, Putin's mobilisation attempt was an effort to exacerbate the conflict and demonstrated that Russia is the "sole aggressor" in the ongoing war. "It is needed to help Ukraine, and in our own interest, we must continue with it," he remarked. 

Latvia

Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics condemned Putin's announcement and termed Russia dangerous to Europe and the world's peace. "We must not give in to his blackmail and support Ukraine as much as we can. Russia is as dangerous to Europe and the world’s peace today as Nazi Germany was in the last century," he tweeted. 

Netherlands

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte stated that the mobilisation order issued by Russia is a sign of fear at the Kremlin and should not be interpreted as an explicit threat to wage a war against the West. “The mobilisation, calling for referenda in Donetsk, it is all a sign of panic. His rhetoric on nuclear weapons is something we have heard many times before, and it leaves us cold, Dutch broadcaster NOS quoted him as saying. 

Image: AP

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Published September 21st, 2022 at 17:38 IST

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