Putin sets partial military call-up, won't 'bluff' on nukes

Russian President Vladimir Putin when he attended a meeting dedicated to the production of vaccines against the coronavirus disease. [File, Standard]

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilisation of reservists in Russia, in a measure that appeared to be an admission that Moscow's war against Ukraine isn't going according to plan after nearly seven months of fighting.

It's the first mobilisation in Russia since World War II and comes amid recent battlefield losses for the Kremlin's forces.