Ukraine war: Russia ends mobilisation after drafting thousands in a month

Russia announced on Friday it had finished calling up reservists to fight in Ukraine, after drafting hundreds of thousands of people in a month, with more than a quarter of them already sent into battle.

The divisive draft - Russia's first since World War Two - sent tens of thousands of men fleeing the country and gave rise to the first sustained public protests against the war. President Vladimir Putin ordered the call-up in September after suffering battlefield losses.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu delivered the news to Putin in a televised meeting Friday.