Russia-Ukraine war live: Putin says mobilised troops will be ready in two weeks as he warns Nato against ‘global catastrophe’ | Ukraine
Putin: ‘partial mobilisation’ to be completed in two weeks, total of 222,000 called up
Daniel Boffey
Vladimir Putin said on Friday he believed the “partial mobilisation” of army reservists ordered last month would be completed in two weeks, boosting Russia’s fighting force.
He told reporters after attending a summit in Kazakhstan on Friday that a total of 222,000 reservists would be called up, down from the 300,000 figure initially circulated.
A total of 33,000 of them were said to be already in military units, and 16,000 are involved in the military operation in Ukraine.
Key events
The Pentagon has responded to reports that Elon Musk’s company SpaceX can no longer pay for critical satellite services in Ukraine (see also 8.55am).
A Pentagon spokesperson told Reuters that the US defence department “continues to work with industry to explore solutions for Ukraine*s armed forces as they repel Russia’s brutal and unprovoked aggression.”
Belarus says Russian troops to start arriving in coming days
Belarus has said that Russian troops will start arriving in the country in the coming days as part of its joint force, reports Reuters.
“Troops from the Russian component of the Regional Grouping of Forces will start arriving in Belarus in the next few days,” the Belarus defence ministry said.
It comes after the Belarusian president, Alexander Lukashenko, said earlier this week that his troops would deploy with Russian forces near the Ukrainian border, citing what he described as threats from Ukraine and the West.
US officials plan to send munitions and humvees to Ukraine as part of its latest $725m aid package, reports Reuters.
Here’s a summary of key points from Vladimir Putin’s press conference (see also 2.13pm) from Reuters:
ON UKRAINE
Of course, partners are concerned about future developments in Russian-Ukrainian relations. It is true that there is nothing unexpected here. I keep our partners informed, tell them our point of view. But this does not affect the character, the quality, or the depth of Russia’s relations with these countries.
India and China always talk about the need to establish dialogue and resolve everything peacefully, we know their position. These are our close allies, partners, and we respect their position. But we also know the position of Kyiv – they keep saying that they want negotiations and it seems like they asked for it, and now they have made an official decision that prohibits negotiations.
Right now there is no need for massive strikes [on Ukraine]. For now there are other tasks, because, I believe, out of 29 targets, [only] 7 were not hit as the ministry of defence planned, but they are getting to them gradually. There is no need for massive strikes, in any case case not for now. In future, we’ll see.
ON POTENTIAL FOR CLASHES WITH NATO
The introduction of troops into a direct confrontation with the Russian army is a very dangerous step that could lead to a global catastrophe. I hope that those who speak of this have enough sense not to take such steps.
ON WHETHER HE REGRETS ANYTHING
No. I want to make it clear: what is happening today is unpleasant, to put it mildly, but we would have got the same thing a little later, only in worse conditions for us, that’s that. So we are acting correctly and in a timely manner.
RUSSIA’S MOBILISATION
The ministry of defence initially assumed a smaller figure, not 300,000. Nothing extra is planned. No proposals have been received from the ministry of defence in this regard. And in the foreseeable future, this is not necessary.
GERMANY
[Germany] must decide what is more important for them: the fulfilment of alliance obligations, as they see it, or their national interests. In this case, it seems that Germany placed its obligations to the [Nato] alliance above all. I believe that this is a mistake.
German citizens, businesses, and its economy are paying for this mistake, because it has negative economic consequences for the eurozone as a whole, and in Germany. But very few people take into account its interests, otherwise Nord Stream 1 and 2 would not have been undermined. But although one branch remains, as I said, in working order, a decision has not been made and is unlikely to be made. But this is no longer our business, this is the business of our partners.
TURKEY
Erdogan played a significant role in resolving a number of issues. This is due to the prisoner exchanges, he was personally involved in this work. And, as we see, there have been results. So we are also grateful to him for this, because we got our military personnel and officers back.
TALKS WITH THE US
I don’t see the need for a platform for negotiations [with Biden]. The question of my trip [to the G20 summit] has not yet been finally resolved. Russia will certainly take part in this work, in what format, we will think about that.
European Union foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg on Monday will not take any decisions on additional Iran sanctions linked to a transfer of drones from Tehran to Moscow, Reuters report a senior EU official said today.
The EU was still trying to find independent evidence for the use of Iranian drones by Russia in Ukraine, the official added.
Dan Sabbagh
My colleague Dan Sabbagh has been attending a background briefing on the situation in Ukraine from western officials, and he reports:
The Russian position around Kherson “is extremely fragile” with “a significant force on the wrong side of the Dnipro River”. Asked could the city fall in a week, the officials said “It is conceivable that something happens within a week, but it’s also perfectly conceivable that it doesn’t.”
The officials said Russia is “rapidly exhausting its supply of long range, precision munitions”, and in particular, air launched cruise missiles. Russia cannot sustain attacks like Monday’s. The officials roughly endorsed Ukraine’s estimate that Russia has used two-thirds of its “high-precision” stock.
The officials continued by saying that any use of nuclear weapons by Russia “would break a taboo that has held since 1945”, and would lead to “severe consequences” for Moscow. The consequences were not spelled out though, leaving a deliberate ambiguity.
On the Nord Stream explosions, the officials said “It is our assessment that it is almost certainly sabotage” but they were still not in a position to attribute responsibility to Russia or anybody else.
There was concern that the Ukrainians “won’t be able to maintain their offensive indefinitely,” and that there will come a point later this year when the weather changes, and “a new phase of the conflict” begins. “But for the time being, Ukrainians retain the initiative and momentum.”
Putin: ‘partial mobilisation’ to be completed in two weeks, total of 222,000 called up
Daniel Boffey
Vladimir Putin said on Friday he believed the “partial mobilisation” of army reservists ordered last month would be completed in two weeks, boosting Russia’s fighting force.
He told reporters after attending a summit in Kazakhstan on Friday that a total of 222,000 reservists would be called up, down from the 300,000 figure initially circulated.
A total of 33,000 of them were said to be already in military units, and 16,000 are involved in the military operation in Ukraine.
Putin said on Friday that any direct clash of Nato troops with Russia would lead to a “global catastrophe”.
“I hope that those who are saying this are smart enough not to take such steps,” Reuters reports that Putin said.
Russia launched its latest invasion of Ukraine on 24 February this year.
Asked at this press conference in Astana whether he has any regrets over the Russia’s actions in Ukraine, Putin says “no”, and that it was not Russia’s objective to destroy Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin is speaking at a news conference in the Kazakh capital, Astana, where he has said that Germany is making a “mistake” by prioritising its allegiance to Nato over its national interest.
He said it would be possible for Russia to pump gas to Germany through the one undamaged Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, but “any such decision was not Russia’s business.”
Putin threatens closure of humanitarian corridors and says ‘no need’ for Biden talks
Russian president Vladimir Putin has called for humanitarian corridors for Ukrainian grain to be closed if they are used for “acts of terror”.
Speaking at a news conference in the Kazakh capital Astana he also said that there was “no need” for talks with US president Joe Biden.
He said that he has not yet decided whether he will be attending a G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia next month, reports Reuters.
The US government has said it can impose sanctions on people, countries and companies that provide ammunition to Russia or support its military industrial complex.
Wally Adeyemo, the deputy treasury secretary, said in a meeting of officials from 32 countries that the department will issue guidance to make it clear that Washington is willing and able to impose such a crackdown, reports Reuters.
This morning, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control is issuing guidance making clear that we are willing and able to sanction people, companies, or countries that provide ammunition to Russia or support Russia*s military-industrial complex.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of Commerce*s Bureau of Industry and Security, he added, will also issue an alert “outlining our actions against Russia’s military-industrial complex and the risks for those providing material support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
US and Germany to deliver anti-aircraft systems to Kyiv this month, says Ukraine
The US and Germany are to deliver sophisticated anti-aircraft systems to Kyiv this month to counter attacks by Russian missiles and kamikaze drones, Ukraine’s defence minister said.
Speaking on Ukrainian television, Oleksiy Reznikov said:
There is a US decision to supply us with a very well-known NASAMS system: the first few batches. Our specialists are already being trained. And they will be delivered this month.
He said Ukraine would take receive the IRIS-II air defence system from Germany in October, reports Reuters.
More details on the Kherson council member’s deportation claims (see also 11.54am) are being reported by Reuters.
Serhiy Khlan, a member of Kherson’s regional council, told a briefing:
We understand that there can be no evacuation, this is nothing more than deportation that Saldo calls for.
This ‘evacuation’ announced by Saldo is an evacuation for collaborators and traitors in the region … they want to take these collaborators to Russia.
“The occupiers understand that they will not be able to hold on for long, especially on the right bank [of the Dnieper River] and in the city of Kherson.
Most of the Kherson region was seized within days of the Russian invasion after it sent in troops from Crimea.
Last month, Kherson was one of four partly occupied regions that Russia claimed as its own in a move widely condemned, including by Ukraine and the UN.
Sweden has rejected plans for a joint investigation with Denmark and Germany of the recent ruptures of Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, reports Reuters.
Citing German weekly Spiegel, which referred to German security sources, it reported that Sweden has decided not to share findings of its investigation with other states for security reasons.
Germany’s federal police have completed their part in investigating an alleged act of sabotage on the Nord Stream pipelines and handed over their findings, an interior ministry spokesperson said.
Volodymyr Zelenskiy has met with the Lithuanian president, Gitanas Nausėda, who pledged to continue support for Ukraine.
Meeting on Defenders Day, the Ukrainian president said they discussed the battlefield, Ukraine’s defence needs and “further Euro-Atlantic integration”.
Nausėda said Lithuania would “continue supporting Ukraine on all fronts and advocating for more support from the west”, calling for more air defence systems.
Today, on 🇺🇦 Defenders Day,I spoke to @ZelenskyyUa. While Russia keeps escalating, Ukraine keeps pushing the aggressor’s military back.🇱🇹 will continue supporting 🇺🇦 on all fronts&advocating for more support from the West.More air defense systems to🇺🇦 now to protect its citizens! pic.twitter.com/kNXwSjDdU1
— Gitanas Nausėda (@GitanasNauseda) October 14, 2022
In touch with our friend, President of Lithuania @GitanasNauseda. We’ve talked about the situation on the battlefield, Ukraine’s defense needs, and further Euro-Atlantic integration. I’ve accepted congratulations on the Day of 🇺🇦 Defenders.
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) October 14, 2022
Kherson council member condemns Russian ‘evacuation’ as ‘deportation’
A Ukrainian member of Kherson’s regional council has condemned Russia’s “evacuation” of the occupied city, saying it is in fact a “deportation”.
The council member also said that it is an evacuation for collaborators, urging residents to go to Ukrainian-controlled territory if they can, reports Reuters.
Evacuees from Ukraine’s southern Kherson region were expected to begin arriving in Russia on Friday after a Moscow-installed official suggested residents should leave for safety, a sign of Russia’s weakening hold on territory it claims to have annexed (see also 5.41am).
