EU member states have held discussions on how to respond to the latest developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine, he continued, warning Moscow that there would be «consequences from our part», as reported by news media The Guardian.
Vladimir Putin is making a «very dangerous nuclear gamble» and must «stop such reckless behaviour», an EU spokesperson Peter Stano announced.
«He’s using the nuclear element as part of his arsenal of terror, it’s unacceptable,» Stano said.
European Council President Charles Michel made the promise that The European Union’s support for Ukraine isn’t going anywhere, the president of the council representing the bloc’s 27 member states has said.
Charles Michel wrote on Twitter: «In this war, there is only one aggressor, Russia, and one aggressed country, Ukraine.»
Meanwhile, Australia’s foreign affairs minister Penny Wong has condemned Vladimir Putin’s threats of nuclear retaliation and demanded Russia stop its «illegal, immoral» war against Ukraine.
Australia condemns President Putin’s threats to use “all means” at his disposal. Claims of defending Russia’s territorial integrity are untrue.
Russia should immediately withdraw from Ukraine and cease its illegal, immoral aggression against Ukraine.
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) September 21, 2022
Just hours after the Kremlin announced on Wednesday, 21 September about the partial mobilisation, Russia fired a series of long–range missiles at Ukraine’s second city Kharkiv.
At least one missile struck a high–rise apartment in the western Zalutino district. It gouged a hole out of the top of the building and blew out windows in apartments facing onto a grassy square.
BBC reports that Sergey Markov, a former member of the Russian State Duma for President Vladimir Putin’s party, has been defending the president’s partial mobilisation.
«It was absolutely clear that Russia has no war against Ukraine, Russia has no reason to use technical nuclear weapons against Ukrainians,» he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Markov went on to say that «everybody in the world now is thinking of nuclear war», and said such an escalation could be as a result of «the crazy behaviour» of US President Joe Biden.
Nearly all flights out of Russia were sold out just hours after Vladimir Putin declared a partial mobilisation of reservists.
Almost all tickets were sold out despite the State Duma representative’s Andrey Kartapalov announcement that those falling under mobilisation «can safely go on a business trip to Krasnodar or Omsk, but I would not advise you to go to resorts in Turkey – rest in the resorts of the Crimea and Krasnodar Krai.»
Flights from Moscow to the capitals of Georgia, Turkey and Armenia, all destinations that allow Russians to enter without a visa, were sold out within minutes of Putin’s announcement, according to Aviasales data.