Lithuania is responding to the partial mobilisation in Russia that was announced on Wednesday, 21 September, by raising the level of alertness of the Rapid Reaction Force, referencing to Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas, informs National Broadcaster LRT.
«Since the Russian military mobilisation will also be carried out in the Kaliningrad region, ie in our neighbourhood, Lithuania cannot just watch,» Anušauskas wrote on Facebook.
According to him, the Rapid Reaction Force is being put on high alert to prevent any provocations from Russia.
«We are also considering how to further increase our support to Ukraine, and we call on all our allies to also increase the flow of this support.»
«Russian aggression in Ukraine must be stopped,» the minister said.
Earlier, Anušauskas said that the partial mobilisation announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin is a sign that Moscow finds itself in a precarious situation.
«Well, Putin’s «victorious three-day war» has reached the mobilisation stage. So, it’s a pretty bad situation,» the minister wrote on Facebook.
As it was reported before Putin addressed his nation and announced a partial mobilisation for the first time since the beginning of the military invasion of Ukraine. He said the call–up starting on Wednesday, 21 September would apply to retired soldiers.
Read also: Putin announces partial mobilisation and accuses the West of wanting to see Russia weakened
The announcement of the mobilastion followed after the self–proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic and Donetsk People’s Republic announced that they will be holding a referendum between 23rd and 27th of September on the addition of their regions to the Russian Federation.