Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, announced a ‘partial mobilisation’ of reservist troops in the war against Ukraine on Wednesday. As part of this exercise, 3,00,000 reservists with prior experience of working in the military will be called up to serve in the Russian army.

The decision from Moscow comes seven months into the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and is being seen as a major escalation since Russia lost ground to Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the southern Kherson region, and also on the eastern and northern fronts of Ukraine. 

Also read: Russia’s partial mobilisation: Putin accuses West of ‘nuclear blackmail’

How did the other countries react? 

The decision to escalate the war efforts with ‘partial mobilisation’ has drawn sharp reactions from around the world. Putin, in his speech, has warned that Russia has, “various means of destruction” that are “more modern than those of NATO countries”. 

His words have been interpreted as “dangerous and reckless nuclear rhetoric” by NATO chief Stoltenberg. The EU also critised Putin’s decision and accused him of making “a dangerous nuclear gamble”.

John Kirby, spokesman for the White House’s National Security Council told a US-based news outlet that the US is taking Putin’s threat to use nuclear weapons seriously. 

“It’s irresponsible rhetoric for nuclear power to talk that way. But it’s not atypical for how he’s been talking the last seven months and we take it very seriously,” he said. 

The UK Foreign Office echoed similar sentiments, with minster Gillian Keegan calling Putin’s speech an “obvious escalation”. He said, “Clearly 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, really.” 

Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, also came forward and condemned Putin’s decision. He called the ‘partial mobilisation’ an “act of desperation” and said that Russia “cannot win this criminal war”. 

Also read: Russia’s partial mobilisation: Who can be called up, and who is exempted

Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson of China’s Foreign Ministry, has called for an immediate ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. “Every country’s reasonable security concerns should be valued, and all efforts conducive to resolving the crisis peacefully should be supported. China calls for dialogue and consultation to resolve the divergences,” Wenbin said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, has said that he doesn’t believe that Russia will use nuclear weapons, even though Putin had warned in the speech that his threat is “not a bluff”.