<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday called on Russians to resist the partial mobilisation announced by president Vladimir Putin, which has sparked protests and a fresh exodus out of the country.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘55,000 Russian soldiers died in these six months of war...,’ Zelensky said in his daily address.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘Want more? No? Then protest. Fight back. Run away. Or surrender’ to the Ukrainian army.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘You are already complicit in all these crimes, murders and torture of Ukrainians. Because you were silent. Because you are silent,’ Zelensky added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘And now it’s time for you to choose: for men in Russia, this is a choice to die or live, to become a cripple or to preserve health.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘For women in Russia, the choice is to lose their husbands, sons, grandchildren forever, or still try to protect them from death, from war, from one person (Putin),’ Zelensky continued.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More than 1,300 people were arrested at demonstrations across Russia on Wednesday after the announcement of a partial mobilisation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There were also reports of a mass exodus following the announcement. Flights out of Russia to the neighbouring countries that allow Russians visa-free entry were nearly entirely booked, while prices skyrocketed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Thursday the Kremlin dismissed as ‘fake’ reports that Russians eligible for mobilisation were rushing for the exit. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>