MOSCOW
\nRussian police are reported to have arrested hundreds of protesters rallying against the Kremlin\u2019s decision to call up thousands of extra troops to fight in Ukraine.
\nRussian human rights group OVD-Info put the total at more than 1,300. The largest numbers arrested were in St Petersburg and Moscow.
\nDozens were held in Irkutsk and other Siberian cities, and Yekaterinburg.
\nFlights out of Russia sold out fast after Vladimir Putin\u2019s announcement.
\nPictures on social media showed long queues at border posts, and on Google, the search for \u201chow to leave Russia\u201d skyrocketed.
\nRussia\u2019s president ordered a partial mobilisation, meaning some 300,000 military reservists – but not conscripts – will be drafted to bolster Russia\u2019s forces who have suffered recent battlefield reverses in Ukraine.
\nThe move came a day after occupied areas of Ukraine announced snap referendums on joining Russia.
\nAnd in remarks condemned by Ukraine and its allies, Mr Putin stressed that he would use \u201call available means\u201d to protect Russian territory – implying this could involve nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MOSCOW Russian police are reported to have arrested hundreds of protesters rallying against the Kremlin\u2019s decision to call up thousands of extra troops to fight in Ukraine. Russian human rights group OVD-Info put the total at more than 1,300. The largest numbers arrested were in St Petersburg and Moscow. Dozens were held in Irkutsk and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":285074,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-285044","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n