Putin warning: Wetin Russian military call-up mean for Ukraine?

Russian President Vladimir Putin don order partial mobilisation to fortify im troops for Ukraine afta major combat setbacks dis month.

For one address to di nation, e tok say di Western powers wey dey back di Kyiv goment directly threaten Russia with "disintegration".

E also warn Nato say nuclear-armed Russia fit use any weapons for dia armoury against wetin im call Western "nuclear blackmail".

Oga Putin message dey come a day afta Russian-installed leaders for four regions of eastern and southern Ukraine announce plans for so-called referendums - starting dis week - on joining Russia.

Russia bin annex Crimea afta just dis kind of move for 2014.

Wetin dis mobilisation wey Putin wan do mean?

Russia plan to call up about 300,000 reservists -dat be pipo wey don get military training and, Vladimir Putin stress say dem also get specialist skills wey dey needed for di Ukraine conflict.

Dem go include many reserve officers, including some over 60, wey dem pull in from retirement.

Russia fit in theory mobilise some 25 million pipo for military service, but dat no be wetin dem dey consider yet.

Both President Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu stress say dem no go send conscripts - recruits - to fight for Ukraine.

Oga Shoigu say di extra troops dey required to defend one front line stretching for some 1,000km (600 miles).

Dem go spread di mobilisation over months - and Putin don bin tok before now say Russia dey prepared for long fight.

Reuters news agency say na Russia first mobilisation since World War Two, but di Kremlin send thousands of conscripts to fight for Afghanistan for di 1980s, and later for Chechnya, inside di North Caucasus.

Dat time, dem bin kill many poorly-trained conscripts for those costly wars, and dis time, di Kremlin appear to dey anxious to avoid fuelling anti-war sentiment.

Russia forces dey stronger dan Ukraine?

Russia military dey superior in numbers to dat of Ukraine but Ukraine battlefield tactics and precision Western weapons don narrow dat gap.

Russia first invasion force for February reach about 190,000 troops, in addition to thousands of pro-Russian fighters for di Donbas region.

Di Kremlin launch one massive recruitment drive, offering big financial incentives.

So dem send extra troops in, especially from poor regions of Siberia and di Caucasus, including experienced Chechen fighters.

Russia get normal limit of just over a million military personnel and almost 900,000 civilian staff - but last month, President Putin sign one decree to recruit 137,000 more.

Currently, Russian men wey dey di age of 18-27 dey forced to do military service, usually for one year, but many exemptions dey on medical grounds or for students.

Russia initially deny send conscript sojas to Ukraine, but dem discipline several officers afta cases come out of conscripts wey dem force to sign contracts.

President Putin come insist say dem no go send any conscripts go combat.

Before di invasion, Ukraine military numbers dey much smaller - about 196,600 active troops.

But Kyiv order one mass mobilisation, wey don increase those numbers.

Why di change now?

Ukraine big counter-offensive for di northern Kharkiv region don put di Kremlin for back foot, Western analysts and politicians tok - e explain Vladimir Putin latest move.

Defence Minister Shoigu give one new death toll on Wednesday - 5,937 Russian troops na im dem don kill.

But dat still dey far below di estimate of 25,000 dead wey di UK defence ministry give for June, while Ukraine claim say di figure na about 50,000.

Tori don come out say Russia dey recruit prisoners to fight, as dem dey struggle with dia heavy losses.

For di 1979-1989 war inside Afghanistan, di Soviet military lost about 15,000 troops.

BBC Russian establish say Russia losses for Ukraine include more dan 1,000 elite officers, including many pilots, intelligence experts and special forces.

Putin dey threaten escalation - or even nuclear war?

President Putin hala for Kyiv Western supporters for making anti-Russian "threats" - and warn say any threat to Russia territorial integrity go face whatever weapons di Kremlin feel say dey necessary.

"Our kontri also get various weapons of mass destruction and, in some categories, more modern ones than those wey Nato kontries get," e tok.

"Dis no be bluff (joke)," e add.

Russia military doctrine allow di use of tactical nuclear weapons if di Russian state dey threatened with destruction.

Russia don already use long-range hypersonic missiles for Ukraine, wey fit fly faster dan 6,000 km/h (3,730 mph).

But analysts say dat no be game-changer.

If Russia claims, afta controversial referendums, say more parts of Ukraine don join Russia, e fit den also claim say Russia itsef dey under Nato attack.

Kyiv and Western leaders see di "referendums" as disguise for Russian land grab.

US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink tok say "sham referenda" and mobilisation na signs of Russian weakness.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte call oga Putin military move "a sign of panic".

"Im rhetoric on nuclear weapons na sometin we don hear many times before," e tok. Adding say e no dey bothered.

Oda Western politicians don also play down any threat of nuclear escalation.

How pipo for Russia don react?

Putin address don raise fears say some men of fighting age no go dey allowed to commot Russia, even though di kontri defence minister tok say di call-up go dey limited to those with combat experience.

Direct flights from Moscow to Istanbul, Turkey and Yerevan for Armenia - both destinations wey dey allow Russians to enta without visa - don sell out for today, although of course e dey impossible to know wen pipo buy di flights.

Even most routes with stopovers, including those from Moscow to Tbilisi for Georgia, also no dey available, while di cheapest flights from di capital to Dubai dey cost more than 300,000 roubles (£4,360; $4,945) - about five times di average Russian monthly wage.

Google Trends data show spike in searches for Aviasales, wey be Russia most popular website for buying flights, according to Reuters news agency.