Predictable, worrying, terrifying

Predictable, worrying, terrifying

UK Foreign Minister Gillian Keegan commented on Putin's threat to the West as worrying and frightening. She added that only more lies can be heard in his speech.

"It is a serious threat, but a threat that has already been made," she told the BBC.

She added that Putin's comments should be taken seriously and called for calm.

"Some of the words at the end were quite worrying," she told Sky News.

"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. I mean, this is clearly an escalation," she added.

Reactions from Ukraine

"The Russian mobilization was a predictable step that will prove extremely unpopular with the public," Ukrainian officials said this morning.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, said the move underscores that the war is not going according to Moscow's plan. He added that Vladimir Putin is clearly trying to shift the blame for the start of the "unprovoked war" with Ukraine to the West.

"Everything is still going according to plan, isn't it? Life has a great sense of humor," he wrote.

Germany: Mobilization in Russia further escalation of the conflict

The partial mobilization of reservists ordered by Russia is a further escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, to which the German government is considering its response, German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said today.

He said that it was "another bad and wrong step by Russia, which, of course, we will discuss politically and consult on how to respond," reports Reuters.

"Sign of failure"

U.S. Ambassador in Kyiv says that the partial mobilization is "a sign of failure".

The US ambassador to Kyiv described Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement as a sign of failure and pledged that the United States would continue to support Ukraine's resistance to Russian aggression.

"Fake referendums and mobilization are signs of Russian weakness and failure," Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink tweeted. Let's recall that the President of Russia announced a partial mobilization earlier today and said that the events related to the mobilization will begin on September 21.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that Russia will immediately begin mobilizing 300.000 reservists.