'Unsure he is in management...': UK minister on Putin's 'we now have weapons' warning | World News

Russian president Vladimir Putin's speech Wednesday - through which he introduced partial army mobilisation to delay the warfare in Ukraine, accused the West of nuclear blackmail, and spoke of 'a lot of weapons' to counter 'threats' to Russia - should be taken critically, British overseas minister Gillian Keegan stated.

"Clearly it is one thing we should always take very critically... we're not in management - I am undecided he is in management both, actually. That is clearly an escalation," she stated.

Ukraine's response was extra scathing, calling the partial army mobilisation 'predictable' and a sign of Moscow's failing warfare effort.

Minutes earlier Putin stated Russia would use 'all accessible means' to guard its territory and accused the West of trying to 'destroy' the nation.

READ | Putin proclaims partial mobilisation in Russia, warns 'have weapons…'

"When the territorial integrity of our nation is threatened, we will definitely use all means at our disposal to guard Russia and our individuals. This isn't a bluff," Putin - whose goals of a fast victory in Ukraine have lengthy disappeared - stated, claiming additionally that the West needed to "weaken (and) divide' Russia.

Putin additionally referred to 'statements (by) some high-ranking representatives of main NATO states about the opportunity of utilizing nuclear weapons of mass destruction towards Russia' and referred to as it 'nuclear blackmail'.

READ | Russia minister on mobilisation, a uncommon admission of Moscow's losses

"To those that permit themselves such statements concerning Russia, I wish to remind you our nation additionally has varied technique of destruction," he stated.

On partial army mobilisation the Russian chief stated it could solely apply to "residents at present within the reserves… and those that served within the armed forces (and) have sure army, specialty and related expertise…"

Putin's declarations on 'nuclear blackmail' and army mobilisation come because the warfare in Ukraine rumbles in direction of an eighth month and reveals no signal of ending; certainly, Moscow seems to be dropping floor on the battlefield.

The deal with comes a day after Moscow-held areas within the japanese and southern components of Ukraine introduced plans to carry referendums on becoming a member of Russia.

Russia already considers Luhansk and Donetsk - the Donbas area Moscow partially occupied in 2014 - to be unbiased states.

Ukraine and the West contemplate all components held by Russia to be illegally occupied.

With enter from AP, Reuters