Opposition leader alerts Belarusians to be ready for emergencies

February 6, BPN. Belarusian opposition leader Sviatłana Cichanoŭskaja has urged Belarusians to prepare emergency plans.

“Talk to your family and friends and discuss a plan of action in case of danger,” she said. “Stock up on cash, preferably in foreign currency, and even better, in different currencies. Discuss with children basic safety rules and how to act in stressful situations.”

Belarusians should know where to hide in case of air attacks, clear these hiding places of redundant items, furnish them and keep a small supply of canned food there, she said.

“We do not have any new information on the invasion of Ukraine by the Belarusian troops,” Cichanoŭskaja’s spokeswoman Hanna Krasulina told BPN.

“If we receive it, we will announce it immediately and directly,” she said. “However, the authorities do not inform people about the situation in any way. Moreover, they pretend that nothing is happening and that Belarus is not involved in the war. It is important to remember that the risk remains every day, and to be ready.”

Cichanoŭskaja’s appeal comes amid reports from Ukrainian and Western intelligence that Russia might soon attempt a large offensive against Ukraine.

In February 2022, Russia started a full-scale war against Ukraine. The Belarusian leadership supports the Kremlin, although the Belarusian army has not yet been directly involved in hostilities.