Buildup and nuclear threat: Has Russian President Putin's downfall begun? Ukraine and the world reacts
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Sep 21, 2022, 2:37 PM ISTRussian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the country's first mobilisation since World War Two and warned the West that if it continued its "nuclear blackmail", Moscow would respond with the might of all its vast arsenal.
In what puts Russia and its people on a wartime footing, President Vladimir Putin has announced a partial mobilisation in the country as the war in Ukraine reached nearly seven months. Putin also threatened nuclear retaliation, saying that his nation had 'lots of weapons to reply' to what he called western threats on Russian territory and asserted that he was not bluffing.
Also read: On PM Modi's 'not era of war' message to Putin, here's what the White House said
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In a highly anticipated televised address on Wednesday, Putin stated the partial mobilisation of its 2-million-strong military reserves was to defend Russia and its territories, claiming the West wanted to destroy the country and did not want peace in Ukraine.
BREAKING: Putin declares partial mobilization, the decree has been signed.
“Only citizens who are currently 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.“ pic.twitter.com/97TrW0EvWV
A day after Russian-controlled regions in eastern and southern Ukraine declared preparations to hold elections on joining Russia, Putin delivered Wednesday's televised address to the country. The Kremlin-backed initiatives to engulf four districts may pave the way for Moscow to intensify the conflict after Ukraine achieves its goals.
"To those who allow themselves such statements regarding Russia, I want to remind you that our country also has various means of destruction, and for separate components and more modern than those of Nato countries and when the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, to protect Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal," Putin said.
He added: "It's not a bluff."
Russian President Vladimir Putin accuses the West of engaging in “nuclear blackmail” against Russia.
“When the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people. This is not a bluff.” pic.twitter.com/O9H8BLQG7O
Russia is becoming a global pariah: Ukraine
Ukraine's Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace MP, was quick to react to Putin's threat and stated that the Russian President's move to mobilise his population indicates that his invasion is 'failing'.
"President Putin's breaking of his own promises not to mobilise parts of his population and the illegal annexation of parts of Ukraine are an admission that his invasion is failing. He and his Defence Minister have sent tens of thousands of their own citizens to their deaths, ill-equipped and badly led," Wallace said.
Also read: MI6 chief's bold Ukraine war assessment: Russia running 'out of steam'
"No amount of threats and propaganda can hide the fact that Ukraine is winning this war, the international community are united, and Russia is becoming a global pariah," Ukraine's defence secretary added.
Defence Secretary responds to President Putin’s address this morning. pic.twitter.com/aY2TsEl8Jl
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ)Meanwhile, Volodymyr Ogrysko, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ukraine, said, "Putin’s speech as a last call for those in ruSSia who think about her future : or they remove him, or he removes them and ruSSia as well. The West MUST respond to this last aggressive blackmail very hard: battle tanks, aircrafts, ATACMS etc. for Ukraine. Putin is weak & gives up."
Putin’s speech as a last call for those in ruSSia who think about her future : or they remove him, or he removes them and ruSSia as well. The West MUST respond to this last aggressive blackmail very hard: battle tanks, aircrafts, ATACMS etc. for Ukraine. Putin is weak & gives up
— Volodymyr Ogrysko (@Ogrysko)Luhansk and Donetsk, which together make up the Donbas territory Moscow partially controlled in 2014, are already regarded as autonomous entities in Russia. All of Ukraine's territory seized by Russian forces is seen as unlawfully captured by both Ukraine and the West.
After making gradual gains following months of fierce combat, Russia now controls roughly 60 per cent of Donetsk and virtually all of Luhansk by the end of July.
These accomplishments are now in jeopardy due to Russian forces' expulsion from the neighbouring Kharkiv region this month, which resulted in the loss of their critical supply routes for a large portion of the Donetsk and Luhansk front lines.
"Putin assumed the was dealing with a lapdog. What he got was a wolverine."
Total combat losses of the enemy from Feb 24 to Sep 21: pic.twitter.com/4l2gF7ny88
In an coordinated move, pro-Russian figures on Tuesday announced referendums for September 23-27 in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia provinces, representing around 15 per cent of Ukrainian territory, or an area about the size of Hungary.
On plans for referendums in Ukraine, Putin said, "We support these people", adding that he ordered his government to give legal status to volunteers fighting in Donbas as Russia aims to liberate the region.
"We don't have the moral right to give up these people (in Ukraine)," Putin added.
Also read: Ukraine war: Decoding why Moscow could go nuclear over Kyiv's threats to Crimea
The Kremlin-controlled lower house of parliament voted on Tuesday to toughen regulations banning desertion, surrender, and theft by Russian troops, sending another message that Russia is preparing for a protracted and probably sustained confrontation.
Additionally, lawmakers approved the introduction of potential 10-year prison terms for soldiers who refuse to battle. The proposal would give commanders more power to combat reports of low soldier morale if the upper chamber approves it as expected and Putin signs it into law.
Is this the start of Putin's downfall, and will it destabilise Russia?
Following Putin's rare televised address, several political analysts, geo-political experts and citizens of several nations, including Ukraine and Russia, took to Twitter to react to the Russian President's buildup and nuclear threat.
Guy Verhofstadt, MEP Renew Europe, noted, "Putin's 'It's not a bluff' is Nixon's 'I'm not a crook '... a final attempt to avoid his own downfall. Question is how many Ukrainians, Russians and others he will drag with him?"
Also watch: From nuclear warheads to 'father of all bombs': Inside Putin's brutal arsenal
India's Subramanian Swamy too, responded to Putin's statement. "Why say "time is not for war". Is anytime good for war? Or you can think of going to war when it is the right time? What Modi should have said to Putin is : "Why war in Ukraine ? Ukraine did not declare war on Russia," the President of Virat Hindustan Sangam noted.
Serhii Sternenko, Ukrainian activist and vlogger said, "In a new speech, Putin made it clear that he is afraid of long-range missiles for Ukraine. So give us ATACMS already!"
Here's a look at some of the other reactions on the micro-blogging site:
Putin’s “It's not a bluff” is Nixon’s “I’m not a crook”… a final attempt to avoid his own downfall.
Question is how many Ukrainians, Russians and others he will drag with him… https://t.co/0Kq62S7dbQ
Why say “time is not for war” . Is anytime good for war? Or you can think of going to war when it is the right time? What Modi should have said to Putin is : “Why war in Ukraine ? Ukraine did not declare war on Russia”.
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39)in a new speech, Putin made it clear that he is afraid of long-range missiles for Ukraine.
So give us ATACMS already!
This is a very dangerous moment. Phoney referendums in Russian-controlled eastern Ukraine will mean Russia can claim that Donbas etc is actually part of Russia. If Ukraine continues to advance there, Putin will threaten to use nukes to defend Russian territory. WW3 would beckon.
— John Simpson (@JohnSimpsonNews)So Ukraine is winning. Russia has got nothing. Putin is scared out of his wits. Now is the time to seize the initiative and win the war. Give Ukraine everything
— Paul Massaro (@apmassaro3)Putin: I consider occupied areas of Ukraine to be Russia and any attempt to reclaim them will trigger a nuclear response. If this principle is allowed to stand, what’s to stop him announcing that he considers Warsaw or Riga or Berlin to be Russia?
— Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof)Putin's speech shows he lives in a hall of mirrors. Russia is not being attacked. Its attack on another nation has, to a remarkable extent, been repulsed. The attackers he has threatened to destroy with nuclear weapons live in his imagination. It's a very dangerous situation.
— George Monbiot (@GeorgeMonbiot)Vladimir Putin is bluffing. His Chinese and Indian riders don't want nuclear escalation. He's such a fragile monster he dare not call for a nationwide draft.
His time is running out. https://t.co/4SwhmBcsfT
Putin's right about one thing. Donbas will be free, and the people will be protected.
Just not by him.
Putin is threatening nuclear war because he’s an impotent geopolitical terrorist who is being defeated on every front by a country all he had to do was not invade to prevent the war he’s currently blaming on “the West.” Ukraine will defeat Russia. And Putin’s reign will end.
— Andrew Wortman 🏳️🌈🇺🇸 (@AmoneyResists)Thank god we didn’t send those modern tanks. Or Putin would have escalated.
— laurence norman (@laurnorman)This kind of bluster is borne, in part, from the emboldening of Putin (and Assad) in Syria where the chemical weapons taboo unravelled. The west’s failure to enforce its ‘red lines’ on this accelerated the rot. Now, not for the first time, Putin is talking about his nukes again. https://t.co/bxL9nA0eG4
— Shiraz Maher (@ShirazMaher)Is Putin mad enough to go nuclear as things keep going wrong? V much hope not. But curious that some of same people who said “obviously this war was going to happen, you just had to listen to Putin’s own words” now say “don’t listen to his nuclear threats, it’s clearly nonsense”.
— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7)First calls with 🇺🇦 and their reaction to Putin's speech? A shrug and a determination to move ahead with their plans to liberate all of Ukraine. The farcical sham referenda will only help people in the West to understand what Putin was up to in 2014/15 on Crimea and the Donbas...
— Mattia Nelles (@mattia_n)The main result of Putin's statements is that Ukraine is clearly winning.
— Oleksiy Goncharenko (@GoncharenkoUa)With the mobilization, Putin is fanning the flames of war against 🇺🇦 & the whole world. It will only lead to more suffering & destruction. He must not be allowed to sacrifice Belarusian lives for Russian imperial ambitions. Today I will discuss it at meetings during the . pic.twitter.com/5yssT4mTv8
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya)The Russians are very unhappy with Putin's statements. Take a look. pic.twitter.com/12hamVlgu6
— Oleksiy Goncharenko (@GoncharenkoUa)Finally what and is looking is already here
Putin: Thee Western Has Crossed All Line's .. has more modern nukes than the West. Will use all weapons if territory is threatened. "We are not bluffing." pic.twitter.com/sV1Uq2j9Tt
Want to reassure Putin, the West does not want, and need, to weaken, divide and destroy Russia: so far as Putin is in power, he is achieving these results with exceptional dexterity and speed. https://t.co/ksknwAFs54
— Andrea Gilli (@aa_gilli)If Putin were ever to actually use nuclear weapons against 🇺🇦 it is certain to turn all of the world in raw rage against 🇷🇺 and speed up the demise of him and his regime. pic.twitter.com/zgF1Ijkl0I
— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt)
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