“Our aim is to liberate east Ukraine’s Donbas region, and that most people in the region do not want to return to the yoke of Ukraine,” Putin said in a televised address.

Putin claimed that he was defending Russian territories and that the West wanted to destroy the country.

“We are talking about partial mobilization, that is, only citizens who are currently in the reserve will be subject to conscription, and above all, those who served in the armed forces have a certain military specialty and relevant experience,” (ILKHA)