General mobilization announced in the Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic

A gunman of the DPR armed forces. Photo: Sputnik

"I call on my compatriots who are on reserve to gather at the military commission offices. Today I signed the decree on general mobilization," Pushilin said in the video.

The People's Council of the Donetsk People's Republic has approved general mobilization throughout the republic.

"The People's Police, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, emergency services are ready to repel Ukraine. Whatever the scenario, we can restrain Kiev's aggression. We must join all efforts," Pushilin said in a video message.

The army of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic has prevented a number of terrorist attacks by Ukrainian special services in recent days.

"Ukraine is carrying out large-scale shelling of the territories of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. Ukrainian armed units are shelling... with mortars, grenade launchers, anti-tank missile systems, heavy machine guns, small arms, artillery, tank guns. The People's Police are holding back the enemy with return fire," Pushilin said in a video message.

A similar decree was later signed by the head of the Lugansk People's Republic, Leonid Pasechnik. In the Lugansk People's Republic, men between the ages of 18 and 55 are banned from leaving the country.

The situation is getting worse in Ukraine.

Earlier, the leaders of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic announced the temporary evacuation of citizens to the Rostov region of the Russian Federation due to the threat of a Ukrainian attack. The evacuation primarily concerns women, children and the elderly. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will soon order the army to launch an offensive in Donbass, carrying out a plan to invade the territories of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, said the head of the Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin.