Ukraine mobilises reserves as Moscow doubles down on demands
The HinduUkraine mobilised its military reserve Wednesday and urged its citizens to leave Russian territory as Moscow sharpened its demands, increasing fears of all-out war. Meanwhile, Ukraine urged its approximately three million citizens living in Russia to leave, as the crisis deepened despite intense international pressure on Moscow, backed by new economic sanctions. Washington and Britain say Russia's force is poised to strike Ukraine and trigger the most serious war in Europe for decades, but Putin says he is open to negotiation -- within limits. US President Joe Biden later announced tough new sanctions against Russia for "beginning" an invasion of Ukraine, but said there was still time to avoid war. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Putin said that Moscow had recognised the independence of Ukraine's separatist regions within their administrative borders, including territory still controlled by Kyiv -- raising the spectre of a clash.