Putin rules out additional mobilisation, but says 'risk of nuclear war on the rise'

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday (December 7) there was no need to conduct an additional call-up of Russian reservists to fight in Ukraine at the moment.

The Russian leader was speaking at a televised session of Russia's Human Rights Council.

Putin said of the more than 300,000 Russian reservists who were drafted in what Moscow called a "partial mobilization" in September and October, 150,000 were deployed in the zone of what Moscow calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine.

Of those, 77,000 were in combat units and the remainder performing defensive functions, he said.

Putin also said Russia would fight to defend its interests using all available means.