Image source, Reuters

The UK's Defence Secretary Ben Wallace says Putin's decision to mobilise military reservists to support the war in Ukraine shows that his invasion is failing.

"He and his Defence Minister have sent tens of thousands of their own citizens to their deaths, ill equipped and badly led," he writes in a statement posted by the Ministry of Defence on Twitter, external.

"No amount of threats and propaganda can hide the fact that Ukraine is winning this war, the international community are united and Russia is becoming a global pariah."

Paul Adams
BBC Diplomatic correspondent

Image source, Reuters

It takes months to mobilise, equip and organise new fighting forces, even if those being called up have previous military experience.

Unless Russia starts throwing the new forces into the battle piecemeal, then they won’t be involved in the fighting until next spring.

And given Russia’s catastrophic material losses, Moscow may struggle to give new units the equipment they need to fight effectively.

Using sophisticated western equipment, Ukraine’s military has played havoc with Russia’s occupation machine, blowing up ammunition dumps, command posts and bases behind front lines.

It’s become increasingly difficult for the Kremlin to organise and equip the forces they already have in the fight, let alone any new ones.

And what about the troops already serving in Ukraine? Morale was already thought to be low.

Now some will be learning that their contracts are being extended, just as the prospect of a long hard winter looms.

• In a rare address to the nation, President Putin announced a partial mobilisation of reservists for his 'special military operation' in Ukraine

• He said this was a necessary step to ensure territorial integrity and protect people in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine

• He accused the West of engaging in nuclear blackmail against Russia
• Putin said Russia has "lots of weapons to reply" and that he was not bluffing
• Defence minister Sergei Shoigu said 300,000 with combat experience will now be called up to fight

Sarah Rainsford
BBC Eastern Europe Correspondent

After Putin’s speech, it was left to his defence minister to provide the details and try to dampen down the fears of Russian men across the country about this sudden "partial mobilisation" to Ukraine.

After all, proclaiming you support a "special operation" and actually going to fight are two very different things.

Sergei Shoigu said some 300,000 reservists would be called up – a fraction of the 25 million Russia has. They won’t be taken all at once but according to need, he said.

He insisted that students would not be used, they could "be calm" he said, and ‘keep going to class’. Neither will conscripts be sent to the front – a move which would have been very unpopular.

Instead, Russia says it will be using men who have battle experience.

Image source, Reuters

In his comments, Sergei Shoigu also claimed fewer than 6,000 Russian soldiers (5,937) had been killed in action, a number far below the estimates of Western intelligence agencies, and even less than has been reported in open sources.

But it’s the first time in months that Moscow’s given a figure (perhaps that was also meant to reassure those about to get their call-up papers).

Despite the soft voice and calm tone of the defence minister, this is a big shift in approach. The war that many Russians have been trying, largely, to ignore, has now been brought much closer to home for tens of thousands of them and their families.

In an update before Vladimir Putin's televised address, the UK's Ministry of Defence outlined some of the personnel shortages that Russian forces are experiencing in Ukraine.

It said the urgency for so-called referendums in occupied regions in Ukraine, which could take place as early as Friday, is "likely driven by fears of imminent Ukrainian attack and an expectation of greater security after formally becoming part of Russia".

Russian forces in Ukraine "continue to experience personnel shortages", the MoD tweeted, external, adding that the Russia Duma voted on 20 September to amend a law which extends punishments for defaulting troops.

"This is likely intended to limit the number of desertions and refusals and thereby to mitigate some of the immediate pressures," it said.

Image source, Getty Images

Steve Rosenberg
BBC Russia editor

Until today the Kremlin has been claiming that its ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine was going according to plan. Not any more.

By announcing a “partial mobilisation” of military reservists, Vladimir Putin has conceded that Russia needs more soldiers on the battlefield.

From the Russian president, no hint of regret over his decision seven months ago to invade Ukraine.

The Kremlin leader blamed all Russia’s difficulties on the West, which he accused of wishing the “disintegration of Russia.”

Russia, he said, “would use all means at its disposal to defend Russia if its territorial integrity was threatened.”

With Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine about to hold so-called referendums on joining Russia, that is a clear message to Ukraine and the West: Don’t try to take back land we have seized and will claim as our own.

And just to make the point, he dropped in this threat: “Those who try to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should know that the prevailing winds can turn in their direction.”

Will Vernon
BBC News, Moscow

Image source, Reuters

President Putin and his Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, in their appearances on Russian TV this morning, were very keen to stress that this mobilisation is strictly partial.

Only reservists will be called up, Putin said.

“Under no circumstances“ will students or conscripts be asked to serve, stressed Shoigu. Nonetheless, this announcement will make Russians very nervous.

The shock news that mobilisation will begin immediately, today, means that many Russians, especially young professionals, will be considering leaving the country as soon as possible.

The Russian stock market took a sharp downturn at the news, and there are reports of increases in sales of plane tickets in order to leave the country.

More now from UK Foreign Office Minister Gillian Keegan, who says discussions will continue to seek a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine war.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, she was asked whether such a solution could still happen and if channels are open between Moscow and London.

"There will always be discussions that will be going on either via Ukraine or other countries as well, or directly, so we will continue to urge calm and we will continue to have those discussions where possible," she said.

The UK's Foreign Office Minister Gillian Keegan has described Vladimir Putin's threat to the West that he has lots of weapons as "chilling", adding that the address was "more of Putin's lies"

"It's a serious threat but it's one that's been made before," she tells the BBC.

Earlier, she said his declaration that there will be a partial mobilisation of Russian reserve forces as a "worrying escalation".

She adds that Putin's comments should be taken "seriously" and also urged for calm in the face of his threat in his speech to use nuclear weapons.

Image source, AFP via Getty

A pre-recorded interview with Russia's minister of defence, Sergey Shoigu, is currently being aired.

He confirms that the partial mobilisation will involve those who have military experience.

Shoigu said about 300,000 such people will be called up.

If you're just joining us, here's a quick catch up on what's happened this morning:

• President Putin has given a rare TV address to the nation
• He said reservists would now be called up to serve in Ukraine - starting today
• He accused the West of engaging in nuclear blackmail against Russia
• Putin said Russia has "lots of weapons to reply" and that he was not bluffing
• He said again he was defending "our people" in the Donbas

Steve Rosenberg
BBC Russia editor

After explaining the mobilisation, Putin issued a threat.

“If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, to defend Russia and our people, we will use all means we have. This is not a bluff.

"The territorial integrity of our motherland, our independence and freedom will be secured, I repeat, with all the means we have.

"Those who try to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should know that the prevailing winds can turn in their direction.”

Putin also said that people living in areas of Ukraine under Russian control do not want to be "under the yoke of neo-Nazis".

On plans for so-called referendums in these parts of the country, he goes on to say "we support these people".

Putin says that the West has been blackmailing Russia but that Russia has many weapons with which to respond.

"We will use all resources we have to defend our people," he says.

"I trust in your support," he concludes.

Image source, Russian Presidential Press Service

The Russian president says that it's necessary to take an urgent decision to protect people in the "liberated lands".

"That's why I asked the ministry of defence to agree to partial mobilisation," he says.

He says the decree has already been signed and it starts today.

He says that all citizens who will be mobilised will have full armed forces status.

President Putin says the West has shown it does not want peace between Ukraine and Russia.

Putin also says that he will give legal status to "volunteers" fighting in Donbas.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has announced a partial mobilisation in Russia - according to the state-owned news agency TASS.

He says that the West has shown that its aim is to destroy Russia and that it has tried to turn Ukraine's people into cannon fodder.

Our aim is to liberate Donbas, he says.

Image source, Reuters

Thanks for joining us. We’re resuming our live coverage and will be bringing you the latest developments and analysis of the war in Ukraine throughout the day.

Here's the latest:

• Western nations have condemned Moscow's plans to hold urgent so-called referendums in parts of Ukraine that are currently under Russian control
• The US, Germany and France have said they would never recognise the results of such "sham" ballots. The Nato military alliance said the plans spelt an escalation in the war

• Yesterday, it was confirmed that the "parliaments" of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics, as well as the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region and Kherson region in Ukraine, will hold a vote on joining Russia on 23-27 September

• The issue is likely to be discussed at the United Nations General Assembly, which is underway in New York. US President Joe Biden and President Volodymyr Zelensky are due to speak today, the latter via video link
• Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, is attending the summit
• We are expecting a televised address by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The speech was due to air last night, then early this morning - it is now unclear whether it will happen at all. We will bring you the latest updates if it does

We're pausing our live page for now. There's been a lot of reaction from Western leaders to Moscow-backed officials in occupied areas of Ukraine announcing that they will be holding votes on joining Russia within days.

French President Emmanuel Macron called the proposed referendums a "parody" while the US said it will "never recognise" Russian annexations of Ukrainian territory.

There were reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin was going to deliver a speech addressing the planned annexation referendums tonight but that has now apparently been postponed.

Today's live page was brought to you by Matt Murphy, Emily McGarvey, Laurence Peter, Nathan Williams and Flora Drury.

There'll be no big declaration tonightpublished at 21:25 British Summer Time 20 September 2022

21:25 BST 20 September 2022

Sarah Rainsford
BBC Eastern Europe Correspondent

Image source, EPA

More than two hours after Putin was expected to speak, it was all off. Vladimir Solovyov, a key Kremlin propagandist, announced it with one word on Telegram: "Tomorrow". Another, Margarita Simonyan, told everyone to "go to sleep".

So there'll be no big declaration tonight: not about mobilising all Russian men to fight, nor on annexing big chunks of Ukraine and threatening dire consequences if Ukraine then continues its advance there.

Did Putin change his mind? Is there an almighty fight behind the scenes? Or is Russia’s president just keeping everyone on their toes, as his cheerleaders want to suggest?

Vladimir Solovyov posted a fake screenshot of Putin's phone with frantic messages from French President Macron, begging him to "Call me back, I’m worried!"

I suspect it's Putin who’s worried, though. Because the war he started is not going his way and he can't afford to lose so he’s threatening to escalate.

But Ukraine has already called any referendums on occupied territory sham and illegitimate, and its Western allies agree. Instead of worrying about Moscow’s reaction and pressing Kyiv to stop, they've made it clear they will continue to back Ukraine’s counter-offensive.