President Vladimir Putin's order for a partial military mobilisation to support Russia's war in Ukraine is a "bad and wrong step", German vice-chancellor Robert Habeck said Wednesday.
"With the partial mobilisation (Russia) is further escalating this war of aggression that violates international law," said economy minister Habeck in a statement published by his ministry on Twitter.
"A bad and wrong step, which we strongly condemn... We continue to fully support Ukraine."
Chancellor Olaf Scholz believes the move signals that Russia's campaign in Ukraine "is not going successfully", his deputy spokesman Wolfgang Buechner told reporters at a regular press conference.
Read more: At UN, world leaders have something to say to Putin on Ukraine war: Stop
Russia had to pull its troops back from Kyiv early in the war and also did not achieve the successes it hoped for in the east, where Ukraine has mounted a lightning counter-offensive, the spokesman noted.
Ukraine had been "very effective in defending its integrity and sovereignty not least because of the massive... support from countries of the world, especially Germany", he added.
{{/usCountry}}Ukraine had been "very effective in defending its integrity and sovereignty not least because of the massive... support from countries of the world, especially Germany", he added.
{{/usCountry}}Finance Minister Christian Lindner told a press conference the mobilisation indicated the war will last for a long time, and "we must adjust politically and economically".
In a pre-recorded address to the nation early Wednesday, Putin announced the mobilisation and vowed to use "all available means" to protect Russian territory, after Moscow-held regions of Ukraine suddenly announced annexation referendums.