"In this situation, I consider it necessary to take the following decisions, they are fully adequate to the threats we face. Namely: to protect our Motherland, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, to ensure the security of our people and people in the liberated territories, I consider it necessary to support the proposal of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff on conducting partial mobilization in the Russian Federation," Putin said, addressing Russians.
"The parliaments of the people's republics of Donbass, as well as the military-civilian administrations of the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, have decided to hold referendums on the future of these territories and have turned to us, Russia, with a request to support such a step. I stress that we will do everything to provide safe conditions for referendums to be held so that people can express their will," Putin said.