Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced the introduction of martial law in the four regions that were "annexed" from Ukraine.
The Russian leader addressed a national security council meeting and declared that the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions will all be subject to the law.
The decree states that the Kremlin has the power to carry out mobilization measures, as well as the "authority to implement measures to meet the needs of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation."
One Russian journalist pointed out that Putin's executive order includes wording that would allow these special measures to be instituted anywhere or nationwide in Russia.
Putin's decrees today amount to "wholesale economic mobilisation" across western and southern Russia, according to Reuters Russia correspondent Jake Cordell.
This has been portrayed by the Kremlin as a technicality as Putin said it de facto already exists.
He's also vowed to pay 195k rubles (£2,820) in monthly salaries to deployed draftees.
Putin said the "Kyiv regime" refused to negotiate, and continues to shell "new Russian territories using terrorist methods".
He declared that the heads of the annexed regions will be given additional powers to "ensure security".
In televised remarks to members of his Security Council, Putin also instructed the government to set up a special coordinating council under Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to work with Russia's regions to boost Moscow's war effort in Ukraine.
This response demonstrates the Russian government scrambling amid recent military setbacks as Ukraine's counteroffensive advances.
Putin said the measures he was ordering would increase the stability of the economy, industry and production in support of what Russia calls its special military operation.
"We are working on solving very complex, large-scale tasks to ensure a reliable future for Russia, the future of our people," he said.
The document says there will be temporary resettlement of residents to safe areas, the introduction of a special regime for entry into and exit from the territory, as well as restriction of freedom of movement.
According to the Russian state-controlled news agency RIA Novosti, it will "come into effect" on Oct. 20.
