Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday partial military mobilization in the country, stressing that "only those citizens who are in the reserve and, above all, those who served in the armed forces, have certain military specialties and relevant experience will be subject to conscription."
Putin insisted that Moscow has to take necessary steps to protect its sovereignty as the West is looking to "weaken, divide and ultimately destroy" Russia.
The Russian president accused the West of ordering Ukraine to undermine peace talks with Moscow, claiming that the West would not be "happy with a peaceful" solution to the conflict. Putin claimed the two sides had made progress during Istanbul negotiations, but that the Ukrainian side began to undermine further talks after receiving such directions from the West.
