No talks of new mobilization, operation's purpose is not to evoke power change in Kyiv: Kremlin

The Kremlin said on Monday that the purpose of the Russian "special military operation" in Ukraine is not to evoke a change of power in Kyiv.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also said there was no discussion regarding calling up more Russian soldiers to fight in Ukraine through a second round of mobilisation.

Russia called up more than 300,000 reservists to support what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine in a controversial mobilisation drive launched in September.

The move prompted hundreds of thousands of Russian men to flee the country to avoid being conscripted, and sparked the largest anti-Kremlin protests across the country since Moscow sent in its troops in February.

President Vladimir Putin said he had ended the mobilisation drive at the end of October, but has not revoked an official decree which provides the legal basis for the draft - a decision which has caused concern among some who say the Kremlin is keeping its options open for a future round of call-ups.

Asked by reporters if Russia was planning a new round of mobilisation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "I can't speak for the defence ministry, but there are no discussions in the Kremlin about this."

NUCLEAR PLANT SHELLING

Peskov also said on Monday it was concerned by what it said was repeated Ukrainian shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and called on global powers to ensure that Kyiv ceased attacks on Europe's largest nuclear power station.

Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is under Russian control, was rocked by shelling on Sunday, drawing condemnation from the U.N. nuclear watchdog which said such attacks risked a major disaster.

"This cannot but cause our concern," Peskov told reporters. "We call on all countries of the world to use their influence so that the Ukrainian armed forces stop doing this."

Ukraine says it was Russia that shelled the plant. Reuters was unable to independently verify which side was responsible.

Repeated shelling of the plant in southern Ukraine has raised concern about the potential for a grave accident just 500 km (300 miles) from the site of the world's worst nuclear accident, the 1986 Chornobyl disaster.