MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin called up Russian military reservists on Wednesday, saying his promise to use all military means in Ukraine was “no bluff,” and hinting that Moscow was prepared to use nuclear weapons.

His mobilisation call comes as Moscow-held regions of Ukraine prepare to hold annexation referendums this week, dramatically upping the stakes in the seven-month conflict by allowing Moscow to accuse Ukraine of attacking Russian territory. Beijing, which so far has tacitly backed Moscow’s intervention called Wednesday for a “ceasefire through dialogue” after Putin’s address and in likely reference to the referenda said the “territorial integrity of all countries should be respected”. Four Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine — Donetsk and Lugansk in the east and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south — said Tuesday that they would hold the votes over five days beginning Friday.—AFP