“A bad and wrong step, which we strongly condemn”: Germany condemns Russia

President Vladimir Putin’s decision to mobilise a limited military force to support Russia’s conflict in Ukraine is a “poor and inappropriate step,” German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck said on Wednesday.

“With the partial mobilisation, (Russia) escalates this war of aggression that breaches international law,” said Economy Minister Habeck in a statement posted on Twitter by his ministry.

“A poor and incorrect move that we strongly condemn… We are totally committed to Ukraine. “Chancellor Olaf Scholz feels the move indicates that Russia’s effort in Ukraine “is not succeeding,” according to his deputy spokesperson Wolfgang Buechner during a regular news briefing.

Russia was forced to withdraw its soldiers from Kyiv early in the battle, and it also did not achieve the results it planned for in the east, where Ukraine has staged a fast counter-offensive, according to the spokesperson.

He went on to say that Ukraine had been “extremely effective in protecting its integrity and sovereignty, not least because of the huge… backing from nations throughout the world, including Germany.”

At a news conference, Finance Minister Christian Lindner stated that the mobilisation suggested that the conflict would take a long time and that “we must react politically and economically.”

Putin declared the mobilisation and threatened to employ “all possible means” to safeguard Russian territory in a pre-recorded address to the country early Wednesday, after Moscow-held areas of Ukraine unexpectedly announced annexation referendums.